GENERAL ELECTION 

, " AND 

REGISTRATION LAWS 

STATE OF LOUISIANA 

. ■' . ■ 


AS AMENDED TO JULY 1st, 1915, 


PRINTED BY AUTHORITY OF 

SECRETARY OF STATE 









.-I'. 

(1 



* '* 




T 

General Election and Registration Laws 

STATE OF LOUISIANA 
ACT 152 OF 1898. 

(As amended to July 1, 1915.) 






AN ACT 


To preserve the purity of the ballot regulating the manner of 
holding and conducting elections; by providing an official 
form of ballot; by prescribing the time and method in 
which nominations shall be made and certified; for provid¬ 
ing for the division of parishes, cities and towns into con¬ 
venient election precincts; by providing for the appoint¬ 
ment of officers to conduct such elections and defining 
their duties; by prescribing the manner in which the votes 
of electors shall be taken, and the count and returns there¬ 
of made; by providing for the punishment of violations of 
this law, and repealing all laws in conflict with the same. 


Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Baiiota to be fur- 
State of Louisiana, That all ballots cast in all elections except pense of the state, 
as hereinafter provided, and for delegates to any constitutional 
convention, or upon amendments proposed to the Constitution 
after the first day of November, in the year eighteen hundred 
and ninety-six, shall be printed and distributed at public expense 
as hereinafter provided. The printing of the ballots, tally sheets 
and cards of instruction to voters and their distribution, shall be 
paid for by the State. 

Provided, That the provisions of this act shall not apply to . . ^ 

’ ^ ^ Provisions of this 

municipal elections in towns having a population of less than act shall not apply 

^ o jr 1 municipal elec- 

2,500 inhabitants or to any election for purposes other than the tions in towns of 
’ . • . . • less than 2,500 in- 

election of public officers, except elections upon propositions to habitants, 
amend the Constitution. 

Provided further. That in elections not hereinabove provided 

In such elections 

for the ballots and other election supplies, etc., shall be furnished the ballots, etc., to 

. . r. 1 l5® furnished by the 

by the Board of Supervisors of L lection, at the expense of the Board of Supervi- 
... .. 1,1 T-ii j • ‘XT ITT at the expense 

Parish within which the Election is to be held. of the parish. 



2 


General election. further enacted, etc., That the general election 

for State and parish officers shall be held once every four years, 
on the first Tuesday next following the third Monday of April 

Elections- man- further enacted, etc.. That all officers, the time 

pi^c^and place of whose election is not otherwise provided for by law, 

of holding same. 

shall be elected at the time and places provided by law for the 
election of Senators and Representatives. 

Notice of election. That it shall be the duty of the Governor, at least thirty days 
before every general election to issue his proclamation giving 
notice thereof which shall be published in the official'journal. 

Notice by Board Board of Supervisors of election of each parish shall give 

of Supervisors. fifteen days’ notice of every general election by advertisement in 
the official journal of their parish, if there be one, and by posting 
at four public places in the parish if there be no official journal 
in said parish. But no default by the Governor or parish board 
of supervisors of election to issue said proclamation shall deprive 
the people of their rights to hold an election as fixed by law, or 
vitiate said election when held. 

Sec. 4. Be it further enacted, etc., That when the seat of any 

Vacancies m the 

General Assembly. Senator or Representative becomes vacant and there shall be a 
session of the General Assembly before the next general election, 
it shall be the duty of the Governor within five days after being 
officially notified of such vacancy, to issue his writ of election, 
directed to the proper supervisors of election, whose duty it shall 
be within three days after its receipt, to give public notice that an 
election will be held to fill such vacancy on a date to be named by 
them, which shall not be less than eight nor more than fifteen 
days after the publication of such notice, such election shall be 
conducted and the returns thereof made in the manner required 
by law for general elections. 

Election for elec- Scc. 5. Be it further enacted, etc.. In every year in which 
arfd Vice Presld^n^t elections are to be held for electors of President and Vice Presi¬ 
dent, said elections shall be held on the first Tuesday, next follow¬ 
ing the first Monday in November, 1900, and every four years 
thereafter and are to be conducted and the returns made in the 
same manner as herein provided for general elections. The Secre¬ 
tary of State, or in case of a vacancy in that office, the State 
Auditor, shall ascertain from the returns the persons who receive 





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the greatest number of votes actually cast; and the Governor 
shall issue a certificate of election to the said persons and they 
shall be authorized to cast the vote of the State for the President 
and Vice President. 

All general elections for Representatives in Congress shall be Representatives in 
held on the first Tuesday next following the first Monday in No- 
vember, 1898, and every two years thereafter, and shall be con¬ 
ducted in the same manner as elections for Representatives in the 
General Assembly. 

Sec. 6. Be it further enacted,, etc.. In case of vacancy in said vacancies in of- 
office of Representatives in Congress, between the general elec- uves°in^1mgres3.^' 
tion, it shall be the duty of the Governor by proclamation, to 
cause an election to be held according to law, to fill such vacancy. 

Elections shall be held in the precincts and at the polling places 
hereinafter defined, and herein below directed to be established. 

Sec. 7. Be it further enacted, etc.. That in all elections by persons having 
the people, the person or persons having the highest number of decfared'Tiected. 
votes, shall be deemed and declared to be elected; but no person 
receiving the same number of votes shall be deemed to be elected 
if thereby, a greater number would be elected than required by 
law. The election for such officers thus not elected shall be re¬ 
turned to the people, public notice of ten days to be first given 
in the same manner as for a general election. 

Sec. 8. Be it further enacted, etc.. That all elections shall be Elections to be 
completed in one day, and the polls shall be kept open at each 
polling place from the hour of six o’clock in the forenoon until 
seven o’clock in the afternoon. 

Sec. 9. Be it further enacted, etc.. That the days upon which Election days to 
A general or local election shall hereafter be held under this Act, holidays, 

shall, for all purposes whatever, be legal holidays in the localities 
where the elections are held. 

Sec. 10. Be it further enacted, etc.. That it shall be the duty Manner of pro¬ 
of the chief executive officers of the police force of each city or polling places, 
town, to detail a sufficient number of police officers who shall be 
stationed at each polling place on the day of the election, to pre¬ 
serve order and to protect each and all of said election officers 
from any interference with, or obstructions in the performance of 


4 


iheir respective duties, and to aid in enforcing the provisions of 
law relating to elections, and said police officers so detailed, shall 
be subject to the orders of the Commissioner of Election. 

visors^of EiectSn^' further enacted, etc.. That in all parishes, the 

how constituted. Parish of Orleans excepted, the Board of Supervisors of Election 
of each parish shall consist of three persons, viz: The Registrar 
of Voters, of each parish, one elected by the Police Jury, and one 
appointed by the Governor who shall be president of the Board. 
That in the Parish of Orleans the Board of Supervisors of Elec¬ 
tion shall consist of three members as follows: One appointed by 
the Governor who shall be president of the Board, one to be the 
Registrar of Voters of the Parish of Orleans, and the other to be 
the Civil Sheritf. (As amended and re-enacted by Act 99 of 
1908.) 

The several Boards of Supervisors, the parish of Orleans ex- 
Eiection officers, cepted, shall, at least thirty-days before an election, appoint as 
election officers for each voting precinct, three commissioners of 
election and one clerk. Such officers shall be qualified voters in 
the ward of which said precinct forms a part and men of good 
repute and standing. The commissioners shall be so apportioned 
as that not more than two of said commissioners shall be of the 
same political party. 


Duty of Board of 
Supervisors in Or¬ 
leans : election of 
officers. 


Sec. 12. Be it further enacted, etc.. That in the parish of 
Orleans it shall be the duty of the Boar of Supervisors at least 
thirty days prior to any election to appoint three commissioners 
and one clerk to preside over the election at each polling precinct. 
Said commissioners shall be qualified voters in the ward of which 
such polling precincts form part, and shall be appointed from 
lists to contain not less than six names, furnished by each of the 
several political parties and nominating bodies. The commission¬ 
ers shall be so apportioned as to equally represent all the polit¬ 
ical parties authorized under this act to make nominations in so 
far as practicable. 


,, ^ Sec. 13. Be it further enacted, etc.. That each of the several 

at^eaSfpomng^prr^^^^^^^^^ parties (or nominating bodies) having candidates (upon 

cinct and their du-the. official ballot) shall be entitled to one watcher in each voting 
ties. ” 

precinct, and said watchers shall be appointed for each election 
by the several political parties (or nominating bodies) and shall 
be commissioned by the Board of Supervisors. Said watchers 


5 


shall remain without the (guard rail) during the polling of the 
vote, except when casting their individual votes, and shall not 
be permitted to electioneer, engage in any political discussions, 
or in any manner interfere with, detain or obstruct any voters. 
Said watchers shall be allowed to enter (the space within the 
guard rail) only after the closing of the polls, and there remain 
thereafter, within (said guard rail) during the canvass and count 
of the voters. Watchers shall take no part in such canvass and 
count, nor have any voice in the conduct thereof. 

Sec. 14. Be it further enacted, etc.. That the Commissioners 
of Election shall attend at the times and places designated in 
their respective precincts, at all elections. The commissioners 
and clerks shall receive three dollars for each day’s actual service 
and the deputy sheriffs attending the election shall receive five 
dollars and no mileage for each day’s actual service not exceed¬ 
ing three days, to be paid by the parish or municipality. 

Sec. 15. Be it further enacted, etc.. That commissioners shall 
possess full authority to maintain regularity and order and to 
enforce obedience to their lawful commands during an election 
and during the canvass of the votes after the closing of the polls, 
and shall have full authority to preserve the peace and good order 
at and around the polling place, and keep access thereto, open 
and unobstructed, and may require any police officers, constables 
or other persons present to communicate their orders and direc¬ 
tions, and to assist in the performance of the duties in this sec¬ 
tion enjoined. 

Sec. 16. Be it further enacted, etc.. That the Commissioners 
of Election shall preserve order and decorum at elections and 
shall have power to commit to prison any disorderly persons for 
a time not to extend beyond the hour of closing the polls, pro¬ 
vided that said person shall be permitted to vote before being 
committed to prison. 

Sec. 17. Be it further enacted, etc.. That the canvass and 
count of the ballots, as provided in this act, shall be begun im¬ 
mediately upon the closing of the polls, and shall be proceeded 
with, without interruption or delay, until completed, during all 
the count, three tally sheets shall be kept thereof, the said tally 
sheets shall have the tallies marked in red lines from the begin- 


Pay of Commis¬ 
sioners. 


Power of Com¬ 
missioners to main¬ 
tain order. 


Power to commit 
to prison disorderly 
persons. 


Canvass and 
count of ballots. 



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Commissioners not 
to make statement 
of number of bal¬ 
lots, votes, etc., be¬ 
fore the public dec¬ 
lamation of the re¬ 
sult. 


Penalty for false 
canvass of vote. 


Penalty for de¬ 
stroying or mutil¬ 
ating any election 
documents. 


ning to the end of the page and the total number of tallies shall 
be written in figures immediately after the end of the tally, and 
in letters so as to prevent any alteration thereof. Any commis¬ 
sioner or other person who shall interfere with, delay or attempt 
to delay the count of the ballots, shall be guilty of a felony, and 
punished as provided for in Section 44, of this act and any per¬ 
son who shall steal or attempt to steal, or aid or abet in stealing 
the ballot box, ballots, tally sheets, poll lists or other apparatus 
or papers of the election, shall be deemed guilty of a felony and 
punished as provided in Section 44, of this Act. 

iSec. 18. Be it further enacted, etc.. That prior to the public 
declaration of the vote at an election, which shall be made at 
each precinct as scon as the count has been completed, no state¬ 
ments shall be made by any commissioner, of the number of bal¬ 
lots cast, the number of voters present, the number of votes given 
for any person or for any officer, the name of any person which 
has been voted on, or of any other fact tending to show the state 
of the polls. Any commissioner who violates any of the provi¬ 
sions of this act shall be punished as provided for in Section 44, 
of this act, but no such violation shall in any way invalidate any 
returns of the votes cast, duly made b}^ the commissioners, or 
effect the title of any person who is duly declared to be elected 
to any office. 

Any election Commissioner who intentionally makes or at¬ 
tempts to make a false canvass of the ballots cast, or any false 
return of the result of any election, or any person who induces, 
or attempts to induce, any such commissioner so to do, shall be 
deemed guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be 
punished as provided in Section 44, of this act, and shall be 
further disqualified from voting at any election or holding any 
office of honor, trust or profit in this State. 

Sec. 19. Be it further enacted, etc.. That every Commissioner 
of election, or other officer or person having the custody of any 
record or register of votes or copy thereof, oath, return of votes, 
certificates, poll list, or any paper, document or evidence of any 
description in this act directed to be made, filed or preserved, who 
is guilty of stealing, wilfully destroying, mutilating, defacing, 
falsifying or fraudulently removing or secreting the whole or any 


7 


part thereof, or who shall fraudulently make any extra entry, 
erasure or alteration therein, except as allowed and directed by 
the provisions of this act, or who permits any other person so to 
do, shall be guilty of a felony, and, upon conviction thereof, be 
punished in accordance with Section 44 of this act. And every 
person, not an officer, who is guilty of any of the aforesaid acts, 
or who advises, procures or abets the commission of the same, or 
any of them shall upon conviction thereof, be punished in ac¬ 
cordance with Section 44, of this act. 

Sec. 20. Be it further enacted, etc.. That all bar-rooms, cab- Bar-rooms with- 
arets and coffee-houses and places where liquors are kept, within iSg^^bo^tif ^to^°be 
one mile of any ward or precinct where an election is being held, 
shall be and remain closed during the day of an election until 
twelve o’clock p. m., and no liquors shall be sold or given away on 
election day within the above specified limits. Commissioners of 
election are hereby authorized to enforce this provision and to 
call upon and direct the police officers to discharge their full 
duties in every particular. 

Whoever, in a polling place has in his possession any intoxi- penalty for hav- 
cating liquor, shall be deemed guilty of disorderly conduct, and m n^g 

the Commissioner shall order such person to remove such liquor, 
or to withdraw himself from such place, and on his refusing or 
neglecting to obey such order, shall direct any police officer or 
other person present, to take him from the place and confine him 
in some convenient place until the election is completed. The 
person so refusing shall, for every such offense, be punished as 
provided in Section 44, of this Act. 

Sec. 21. Be it furtlier enacted, etc., That it shall be the duty Duplicate voters, 
of the commissioners at each polling place to keep duplicate lists 
of the persons voting at such polling place, which lists shall be 
numbered from one to the end; and said lists so to be kept and 
numbered as aforesaid, shall be signed and sworn to as correct 
by them immediately upon closing the polls and before leaving 
the place or opening the ballot box. As soon as the votes have 
been counted and the envelopes sealed, as herein provided, the 

n ^ j. u j-u Tally sheets and 

official tally sheet or sheets shall be signed and sworn to by tne compiled statfement 

commissioners, and the said officers shall make triplicate compiled 

statements of the number of votes cast for each candidate for 



8 


National, State, parochial or municipal offices, and the offices for 
which they were voted, the number of ballots contained in the 
box, the number of ballots rejected, and the reasons therefor. 
These compiled statements shall also be sworn to by the said 
commissioners the oath to be administered by the deputy sheriff, 
or one of the commissioners, or by any qualified voter. One of 
the aforesaid tally sheets, together with the poll books and one 
of the said compiled statements shall be delivered to the Board 
of Supervisors of each parish. 

Returns to be for- Commissioners of Election shall forward to the Secretary 

rSary^oi° State oiie of the compiled statements of the vote at their re- 

eiecUoS^^^^^'^^^^ ®^spective boxes or polling places, with the name or names of the 
candidates voted for, one tall} sheet and one of the duplicate poll- 
lists, which returns of the Commissioners shall be retained by 
the Secretary of State for at least six months. 

To tho Clerk of third tally sheet, together with ballots and a poll list of 

\ the persons voting, shall be returned to the ballot box, which 
shall thereupon be sealed by the said Commissioners, and the said 
ballot box containing the ballots and tally sheets and poll lists, 
as aforesaid, shall be delivered to the clerk of court to be by him 
safely preserved for a period of six months. 

Compilation by The Board of Supervisors of each parish shall, within three 
perviSlS^ind^tife’irdays after the closing of the polls, repair to the court-house of 
parish and there, in the presence of at least three voters, and 
as many others as may desire to be present make a true compiled 
statement as shown by the face of the sworn returns of the Com¬ 
missioners in triplicate, of the result of said election, and make 
public proclamation of such result, which compiled statement 
shall be sworn to before some other officer competent to admin¬ 
ister an oath. 

One of the said triplicate compiled statements shall be for¬ 
warded to the Secretary of State, one to the clerk of the District 
Court, and the third shall be retained by said Board of Super¬ 
visors. 

Separate state- The Board of Supervisors shall make out a separate compiled 
?rno?’and’Seuten- statement of the vote for Governor and Lieutenant Governor, 
ant Governor. .which shall be sworn to before some officers competent to admin¬ 
ister oath, and this compiled statement, sealed in a separate 
envelope and properly marked and attested by the Board of 


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Supervisors, shall be transmitted to the Secretary of State, and 
shall constitute the returns contemplated by Article 62, of the 
Constitution. Any Board of Supervisors or any members thereof 
who shall fraudulently and intentionally make a false or in¬ 
correct compiled statement as above provided of the said vote 
shall be deemed guilty of a felony, and, on conviction thereof, 
shall be punished by imprisonment at hard labor for not less 
than two nor more than five years. 

Sec. 22. Be it further enacted, etc.. That it shall be the duB^ 
of the Commissioners themselves, or at least two of them, to carry 
returns and ballot boxes to the Board of Supervisors and Clerk 
of Court, as required by law; and it shall be the duty of the 
sheriff to have at each polling place one deputy sheriff, whose 
duty it shall be to obey orders of the said officers of election and 
attend the transmission of the ballot boxes and returns to the 
Board of Supervisors and Clerk of Court. 

Sec. 23. Be it further enacted, etc.. That the Clerk of the 
Court shall recei\'e the boxes containing the ballots cast at any 
election, and the otlier papers herein provided for sealed as here¬ 
in above provided and shall retain them in his care for six months, 
and as soon as may be thereafter said officer shall cause the bal¬ 
lots to be destroyed without examining them or permitting them 
to be examined by any person whatsoever, and shall make an 
entry in the records of his office that they have been so destroyed. 

Sec. 24. Be it further enacted, etc.. That it shall be the duty 
of the Secretary of State, or in default, the Auditor, not less 
than ten nor more than twenty days after the day of holding an 
election to compile the returns transmitted by the Board of Su¬ 
pervisors of each parish and publish in the official journal the 
names of all the candidates voted for, and the number of vote^i 
actually cast for each, as shown by the returns and to declare 
the person receiving the greatest number of votes cast for the 
office for which such person was a candidate, to have been duly 
elected. If the Secretary of State or Auditor, should wilfully 
neglect or refuse to compile the returns of the election and pub¬ 
lish the result as above provided for, or if he should wilfully 
neglect or refuse to count any votes, as shown by the returns or 
should erase, alter in any manner or change any return, he shall 


Transmission of 
returns to Clerk of 
Court anci Boar(3 of 
Supervisors. 


Ballot boxes to 
be received and 
kept by Clerk of 
Court. 


Compilation and 
promulgation of re¬ 
turns by Secretary 
of State. 



10 


be deemed guilty of a felony, and upon conviction thereof, shall 
be punished by a fine not less than one thousand ($1,000) dollars 
and by imprisonment at hard labor for not less than seven, nor 
more than ten years. 


Commissions t o ^5. Be it further enacted, etc.. That it shall be the duty 

GovSnor^ to^ offl-®^ Govemor not less than thirty days after each general elec- 
cera elected. issue commissions to all officers shown by the compila¬ 

tions of the returns as above provided for, to have been elected 
except Governor, Lieutenant Governor, or members of the Gen¬ 
eral Assembly. 

Compilation of re- Sec. 26. Be it further enacted, etc.. That as soon as possible, 
s^ta^ives°^in^t?on-after the expiration of the time for making the returns of the 
election for representative in Congress, the Governor, jointly 
with the Secretary of State and the Attorney General, shall pro¬ 
ceed to ascertain the number of votes cast for each candidate for 
Representative in Congress as shown by the returns received by 
the Secretary of State in the form of properly attested compi]^ 
statements from the Board of Supervisors of each parish in the 
respective congressional districts. The Secretary of State shall 
enter on record a certificate showing the persons who received the 
greatest number of votes actually cast for representative in Con¬ 
gress in each congressional district. This certificate shall be 
signed by the Governor and one copy thereof, signed as aforesaid, 
shall be delivered to the person thus ascertained to have been 
elected, and another copy transmitted to the House of Repre¬ 
sentatives of the Congress of the United States, directed to the 
clerk thereof. 


Transmission of Sec. 27. Be it further enacted, etc.. That it shall be the duty 
tfoTto^cierk^of tlieSecretary of State to transmit to the Clerk of the House 
Sntatives^and^Sec-Representatives and Secretary of the Senate respectively of 
retary of the Sen--|-]ie last General Assembly, the list of the names of such persons 
as according to the returns as shall have been elected to either 
branch of the General Assembly as shown by the returns. 

It shall be the duty of the Secretary of the Senate and Clerk 
of the House of Representatives, to enter upon the rolls of the 
Senate and of the House respectively the names of persons duly 
elected to represent the respective parishes and Senatorial dis¬ 
tricts. And those Representatives and Senators whose names are 



11 


placed by the Clerk and Secretary respectively, in accordance 
with the foregoing provisions, and no others shall be competent 
to organize the House of Representatives or Senate. 

Sec. 28. Be it further enacted, etc.. That the various Boards Baiiot boxes and 
of Supervisors shall provide and send to the commissioners of ea^ch voting pre^ 
each precinct before the time fixed herein for the opening of 
the polls on the day of any election, the ballot boxes and tickets 
required by law to be used. At the opening of the poll in each 
precinct, and before any ballots are received, the ballot boxes 
shall be publicly opened and shown to be empty, and the com¬ 
missioners shall by personal examination, ascertain that the same 
is empty, after which the box shall immediately be locked or 
fastened, and the key delivered to the deputy sheriff attendant. 

The ballot box shall not be removed from public view after it is 
so shown to be empty until all ballots have been removed there¬ 
from and the box has been relocked or sealed. No ballot shall 
be removed from the ballot box in any precinct while the polls 
are open. 

Sec. 29. Be it further enacted, etc.. That every ballot box Regulations reia- 
shall be provided with a sufficient lock and key, and with an 
opening in the lid large enough and not larger than may be nec¬ 
essary to allow a single folded ballot to be easily passed through 
such opening into the box. Each such box shall be large enough 
to receive and hold all ballots which may be lawfully deposited 
therein at any election. 

Sec. 30. Be it further enacted, etc., That the Secretary of 
State shall, at the expense of the State, provide envelopes, blank 
statements, blank affidavits and all necessary blank forms for form of same, 
use by the commissioners at each polling place, in the conduct of 
the election count and canvass and return of the vote cast at 
each election, and upon any proposed amendment to the Con¬ 
stitution or other question submitted to the voters. Said blank 
forms shall be sent to the Board of Supervisors, and shall be 
used in ascertaining the result of such election, and such result 
shall be ascertained in the manner hereinafter provided. 

All tally sheets and forms for compiled statements herein 
provided for, shall be ruled at the bottom, by at least six lines, sheets, 
and partially blank, and partially printed in, as follows: 


12 


(Blank) (Printed in) (Blank) (Printed in) 

John Doe, Commissioner for Democratic party. 

.Commissioner for.party 

.Commissioner for.party 

(Printed in) (Blank) (Printed in). 

Sworn to and signed before me, John Doe. 

Commissioners by -majority-of the Commis¬ 
sioners serving at this-poll and by me sworn to and 

signed as true and correct this. .•. . . .day of.19. .. 

(Blank) (Printed in). 

John Doe, Presiding Commissioner. 

So as to require and provide for proper attestations to every 
such tally sheet or compiled statement. 

, Sec. 31. Be it further enacted, etc., That in parishes and in 

Elections in towns ’ ^ 

and parishes. towns of less than fifty thousand inhabitants the officer whose 

duty it is to designate and appoint polling places shall erect, in 
front of each polling place barriers, enclosing a space at least 
thirty feet square. Each such enclosed place shall contain a 
table or shelf or convenient height for writing, and shall be fur¬ 
nished with such supplies and conveniences including black ink, 
blotting paper, and pencils having black lead only, as will enable 
the voters to conveniently prepare their ballots for voting. 

Sec. 32. Be it further enacted, etc.. That if for any cause 

Provisions incase.. . . n i • . , . 

of inability to use it shall become impossible at any such election, or in taking 

any such vote, to make use of the State blanks, the canvass of 

the votes shall be made as the Commissioner shall direct, they 

shall make a record of the facts pertaining thereto, and return 

an attested copy thereof to the Board of Supervisors. 

Sec. 33. Be it further enacted, etc.. That the Boards of 

Supervisors shall send the State blanks to the Commissioners 

of each precinct before the time fixed for the opening of the 

polls on the day of election. 

Sec. 34. Be it further enacted, etc.. That when in any 
election the right of any person offering to vote, is challenged 
for any cause recognized by law, the Commissioners shall re¬ 
quire the name, occupation, age and residence of the person 
offering to vote. The Commissioners shall examine such per- 


Delivery of blank: 
to commissioners. 


Challenges. 











13 


son offering to vote upon his oath, and if a majority of the 
Commissioners then present are satisfied that such applicant 
is a legal voter of said ward and precinct, they shall permit 
him to vote, but in all cases such persons so offering to vote 
must establish his identity and right to vote by the written 
affidavit of two bona fide residents of the said ward and pre- 
■cinct. Such affidavit to be taken before one of the Commis¬ 
sioners in the same; provided that nothing contained in this 
section shall be so construed as to permit Commissioners to 
receive any vote which by law they are required to refuse. 

Said affidavits shall be placed in the ballot box. 

Challenges to the number of not more than one for each 
political party or nominating body shall be permitted to re¬ 
main just outside the guard rail of each polling place, and 
where they can plainly see what is done within such rail out¬ 
side the voting booths from the opening to the close of the 
polls. 

Sec. 35. Be it further enacted, etc.. That it shall be the ust of registered 
duty of the Registrar of Voters or other registering officers 
each parish to deliver to the Board of Supervisors of each 
parish, at least twenty-four hours before the day and time 
fixed for the opening of the polls therein, the list of the voters 
registered for each precinct and polling place, securely 
wrapped, sealed and marked; the list shall contain the number 
of the registration place of residence, age, race and occupation 
oof each voter in the election precinct where the polling place 
is situated and shall be certified by the Registrar of Voters to 
be correct, and it shall be the duty of the Commissioners to 
check the name of each voter who is about to vote, upon said 
list; any Registrar of Voters or other registering officer who 
shall neglect, fail or refuse to perform the duty above im¬ 
posed, of furnishing the list as aforesaid for any precinct, shall 
be punished by a fine of not less than $500 nor more than one 
thousand dollars, and imprisonment not less than three nor 
more than twelve months. And no person shall vote at any 
election whose name has not been previously placed on such Affidavit to bo 
list, nor until the Commissioners find and check his name ^^'^omitted^^^ 
thereon; provided, that no legal voter shall be denied the right 



14 


because his name has been accidently omitted from said list, 
or incorrectly written or printed thereon; provided, further, 
that any voter whose name has been so accidently omitted 
therefrom, shall make affidavit in writing to that effect, before 
said Commissioners, and said affidavit shall be preserved as 
part of the election returns and be enclosed in the box pro¬ 
vided for the return of the ballots. It shall be the duty of the 
board of Supervisors to transmit to the Commissioners of Elec¬ 
tion at each precinct, and before the time fixed for the opening 
of the polls, the poll book provided for such precinct. 

Information to be ^cc. 36. Be it further enacted, etc.. That whenever any 
cffSing^to offers to vote, he shall give his name, residence, occu¬ 

pation and registration paper, if such be required by law, to 
the Commissioners, one of whom shall thereupon announce 
the same in a loud and distinct tone of voice, clear and audible, 
and if the same are found upon the poll book by the Commis¬ 
sioner having charge thereof, he shall, in a loud and distinct 
tone of voice, clear and audible, repeat the same and the same 
being checked, the voter shall be allowed, his name being en¬ 
tered upon the poll list, to cast his vote. 

The Commissioners in charge of the poll list, the box and 
the poll books respectively shall be of different political par¬ 
ties or factions, so far as practicable. 

Election precincts ^^c. 37. Be it further enacted, etc.. Elections shall be 
and polling places, precincts and the polling places as hereinafter 

defined and herein below' directed to be established. 

Sec. 38. Be it further enacted, etc.. That each police jury 
ward in every parish of the State, except the parish of Orleans, 
and except in the case of the division thereof as hereinafter pro¬ 
vided, is fixed as an election precinct and they shall be numbered 
as such. The police juries of the several parishes shall direct 
w'hat number of polls shall be established in each w'ard above 
constituted as an election precinct; provided, if more than one 
polling place be established in any one police jury w^ard, then the 
Police Jury shall divide the w^ard geographically as nearly equal 
as possible, according to the number of polls established, and so 
arranged as to contain not more than four hundred voters as 
nearly as practicable as showm in the preceding registration, and 


15 


sliall define the limit within the ward for which each poll is 
established, and said subdivision of the ward in such case shall 
be each an election precinct. In the Parish of Orleans each sub¬ 
division of each ward thereof to be made as therein provided, 
shall constitute an election precinct and they shall be numbered 
consecutively in each ward, commencing at the river and run¬ 
ning back to the rear boundary of the ward. (Amended and re¬ 
enacted by Act 132 of 1900.) 

Sec. 39. Be it further enacted, etc.. The Police Juries as 
above provided, shall establish as many precincts and polling 
places in their respective parishes as may be deemed necessary 
in order to carry out the provisions of the preceding section, 
provided, that there shall never be less than one precinct and 
polling place in each police jury ward; and provided that when 
more than one polling place is established in any one police jury 
ward the ward shall be divided as above stated and such sub¬ 
division of said police jury ward shall be an election precinct, 
and the precinct shall be numbered consecutively from one to the 
end in each ward. That when said polling places and precincts 
are established they shall be published in the official proceedings 
of the police jury. The precincts and polling places, or any one 
of them, once established under this act, shall not be changed 
except by a vote of the police jury given in favor of said change, 
and then not within three months prior to a general election. 
(Amended and re-enacted by Act 132 of 1900.) 

Sec. 40. Be it further enacted, etc.. That the City Govern¬ 
ment of New Orleans shall by ordinance within sixty days after 
the passage of this act divide the said city into election precincts 
within the different wards and for that purpose, by ordinance to 
arrange the boundaries of the ward as may be deemed con¬ 
venient for the purpose of establishing the election precincts, 
which, when established, shall be the boundaries of the wards; 
each of said precincts to be composed of contiguous squares and 
each precinct to be so arranged as to contain not more than 400 
voters as nearly as practicable as shown in the next preceding 
registration; they shall establish one polling place only in each 
precinct, and shall establish precincts in each ward, and shall 
cause to be published an accurate description of the ward boun¬ 
daries and election precincts above referred to within ten days 


City government 
of New Orleans to 
divide city into elec¬ 
tion precincts. 





16 


before any election; they shall, by publication in three daily 
newspapers, give notice of the location of the polling places in 
each precinct, which polling places shall be as nearly as possible, 
in the centre of the precinct the boundaries and precincts to be 
fixed as above, not to be changed within three months prior to 
any general election. 

^ ^ Sec. 41. Be it further enacted, etc.. That if any person shall 

structing, hindering wilfully disobey anv lawful command of the commissioners and 

or delaying voter. ^ . 

shall wilfully and without lawful authority obstruct, hinder or 
delay any voter on his way to any polling place where an election 
is to be held, or while he is exercising or attempting to exercise 
the right of voting, or shall aid or assist in such obstruction or 
delay, he shall be punished in accordance with Section 44, of 
this act. 

Penalty for cast- Sec. 42. Be it further enacted, etc.. That whoever knowing 

Sc. votes, -g qualified at an election wilfully votes, or attempts 

to vote, or whoever so votes or attempts to vote more than once 
either in his own name, or in that of any other person, or in an 
assumed name, or whoever so votes or attempts to vote in more 
than one voting precinct; or whoever wilfully aids or abets any 
one not legally qualified in voting or attempting to vote at an 
election, or .whoever shall have in his possession the registration 
paper of another or whoever, with intent to cheat or defraud, 
alters any ballot at any election and who ever with such intent^ 
removes any ballot from such ballot box; or whoever shall forge, 
imitate or counterfeit or falsely make or alter, or shall procure 
to be falsely made, imitated, altered, forged or counterfeited, or 
shall aid or assist in falsely making, imitating, altering, forging 
or counterfeiting any ballot or part thereof herein provided for 
or shall utter or publish as true any such false, altered, forged, 
imitated or counterfeited ballot, or shall procure same to be 
altered, or published as true, knowing same to be false, altered, 
forged, imitated or counterfeited with intent to use same, or to 
procure same to be used at any election; or whoever being 
charged with the duty of compiling or making up or of printing 
the official ballot herein provided for, permit any person not so 
engaged to have access to or give any information with regard 
to the said official ballot, or the form thereof except as herein 




17 


I 


provided, or whoever in an assembly of people met for the pur¬ 
pose of making nominations under this law, votes or attempts 
to vote under any name other than his own, or whoever aids and 
abets any person in the commission of the offenses described in 
this section, or whoever knowingly and wilfull}^ gives a false 
answ^er to any election officer shall be punished for each offense 
as provided in section 44 of this act. 

Sec. 43. Be it further enacted, etc.. Any person who shall be 
convicted of wilful and corrupt false swearing or offering or 
taking any oath or affirmation prescribed by this act shall be 
adjudged ^lilty of wilful and corrupt perjury, and any person 
Avho shall wilfully and corruptly instigate, advise, induce or pro¬ 
cure any person to swear or affirm falsely as aforesaid, shall be 
adjudged guilty of subordination of perjury, and shall upon 
conviction thereof suffer the punishment directed by law in the 
I case of wilful and corrupt perjury. 

See. 44. Be it further enacted, etc.. Any election officer or 
other person who violates any of the provisions of this act shall 
be punished by a fine of not more than one thousand ($1,000.00) 
dollars or imprisonment for not more than one year; provided, 
that where the offense is declared in this act to be a felony then 
the punishment shall be imprisonment in the State penitentiary 
for not less than two nor more than five (5) years, 
j; Sec. 45. Be it further enacted, etc.. That the commissioners 
and clerks, and all other officers charged with the conduct of an 
election under this Act shall before entering upon the discharge 
of their duties take the oath prescribed by article 160 of the 
Constitution, the oath to be administered by any officer qualified 
by law to administer oaths, and if no such officer be present the 
Commissioners shall administer the oath to each other. 

Sec. 46. Be it.further enacted, etc.. That in case no commis¬ 
sioner shall have been appointed or if none of those who have 
been appointed be present within one hour after the time fixed 
for the opening of the poll, the persons present shall hold a meet¬ 
ing and elect the commissioners to preside at the election, who 
shall perform all the duties of the regularly appointed commis¬ 
sioners should any one of the commissioners appointed be present 
he shall appoint another, and both together shall appoint a third, 
and the commissioners so appointed shall take the oath and per- 


Penalty for at¬ 
tempting to vote 
in the name of an¬ 
other. 


Penalty for false 
swearing under the 
provisions of this 
act. 


Penalty for viola- 
cions of this act. 


Oath to be taken 
by commissioners 
and clerks. 


Manner of elect¬ 
ing commissioners 
in certain cases. 



18 


form all duties of commissioners of election in the same manner 
as if they had been appointed as above provided, by the Board 
of Supervisors. No election shall be vitiated by a failure to 
open the polls by the time prescribed by law, unless it be proven 
before a court of competent jurisdiction, on a contest, that a 
sufficient number of electors were thereby deprived of their votes 
to have changed the result of the election. 

Sec. 47. Be it further enacted, etc.. That all ballots cast in 
ail elections for national. State, district and parish and municipal 
officers, or for delegates to any constitutional convention after the 
first day of November in the year eighteen hundred and ninety- 
six, shall be printed and distributed at public expense as here¬ 
inafter provided. The printing of the ballots, tally sheets, and 
cards of instruction to voters and their distribution shall be paid 
for by the State. The term ‘‘State Election” as used in this 
act, shall apply to any election held for the choice of a national. 
State, district or parish officer, whether for a full term or for the 
filling of a vacancy; and the term “State Officers” shall apply 
to any person to be chosen by the qualified electors at such elec¬ 
tion. The term “City Election” shall apply to any election held 
in the city to fill a municipal office, whether for a full term or a 
vacancy; and term “City Officer” shall apply to any person to 
be chosen by the qualified electors at such election. 


NOMINATION OF CANDIDATES. 

Maii'-ojF jf nom- '^6^- further enacted, etc., That any convention of 

macing candidates, (delegates and any nominating body, and any caucus or meeting 
of qualified voters as hereinafter defined, and individual voters 
to the number and in the manner herein specified may nominate 
candidates for public office whose names shall be placed upon 
the ballots to be furnished as hereinafter provided. 

Certificate of nom- further enacted, etc.. That any convention of 

delegates representing a political party or other nominating 
body, wffiich, at the State, or at the United States Presidential 
election next preceding the holding of such convention, polled at 
least ten per centum of the entire vote cast in the State may, 
in any election district for which said Convention is held, or any 
convention of delegates who have been selected in caucus called 


i nation. 


19 


and held in accordance with the provisions of this act, any caucus 
so called and held in any such electoral district or division of 
the State, or in the District or division for which the Convention 
or caucus is held, as the case may be, by causing a certificate of 
nomination to be duly filed, make therein such nominations, for 
each office to be filled at the election. Every such certificate of 
nomination shall state such facts as may be hereinafter required 
for its acceptance, shall be signed by the presiding officer and 
by the Secretary of the Convention or caucus, who shall add 
thereto their places of residence, and shall add thereto their affi¬ 
davit that the affiants w^ere such officers and that said certificate 
is true to the best of their knowledge and belief. (As amended 
and re-enacted by Act 48 of 1914.) 

Sec. 50. Be it further enacted, etc.. That nomination of can¬ 
didates for electoral districts of State or for municipal or for pers. 
parish or ward officers may be made by nomination papers, 
signed for each candidate by qualified voters of such district or 
division, to the number of at least one thousand for any officers 
to be voted for by the electors of the State at large; one hundred 
for parish or municipal officers, member of the Legislature or 
Congress, and twenty-five for ward officers. 

Sec. 51. Be it further enacted, etc.. That each voter signing 
a nomination paper shall add to his signature his place of resi¬ 
dence, with the street and number thereof, if any; and each 
voter may subscribe to one nomination for each office to be filled 
and no more, and all signatures and addresses shall be made in 
person. The nomination papers shall, before being filed, be re¬ 
spectively submitted to the Registrar of Voters of the parish in 
which the signers purport to be qualified voters, and each Reg¬ 
istrar to whom the same is submitted shall forthwith certify 
thereon what number of signatures are names of qualified voters, 
in the parish for which he is a Registrar and in the division 
for which the nomination is made; and it shall be the duty of the 
Registrar of Voters to certify to at least fifty per cent more 
names of registered voters on applications for nomination papersi 
than are required by law to make a nomination under the pro¬ 
visions of this act; one of the signers to each separate paper 
shall attach thereto his affidavit that the statements therein are 
true to the best of his knowledge and belief, and he shall also 



20 


add his post office address. A signature once affixed to a nomi¬ 
nation paper can not be withdrawn after certification by the Reg¬ 
istrar. (As amended and re-enacted by Act 132 of 1900.) (See 
Act 96 of 1908, declaring who can sign nomination papers, pre¬ 
scribing the duties of the Registrars of Voters in relation thereto 
and regulating the time when same should be filed with the Secre¬ 
tary of State, printed at page 37 of this volume.) 

Sec. 52. Be it further enacted, etc.. That all certificates of 
tion certificate. nonimation and nomination papers, shall, besides containing the 
names of candidates, specify as to each (1), the office for which 
the candidate is nominated; (2) the party or political principle 
which he represents, expressed in not more than three words; 
(3) his place of residence and his place of basiness, if any; and 
in case of nomination for a city office, with street and number 
thereof, if any. In the case of electors of President and Vice 
President of the United States the names of the candidates for 
President may be added to the party or political appellation. 

Candidates other Sec. 53. Be it further enacted, etc.. That candidates nomi¬ 
nated p^nuci^^fed otherwise than by political parties, which at the preceding 
parties. State election, or at the preceding United States Presidential 

election polled at least ten per centum of the entire vote cast in 
the State, shall not use the name of any such political party in 
the political or party designation of their candidates so otherwise 
nominated; except as describing and preceding some other name 
or term; and in case a nomination is made by nomination papei% 
only the words “Nomination Paper” only or abbreviated as 
“Nom. Paper”, shall be added after such designation, which in 
such cases shall not consist of more than two words. (As amended 
and re-enacted by Act 58 of 1914. 

Sec. 54. Be it further enacted, etc.. That certificates of nom¬ 
ination, made under the provisions of this act shall be filed with 
the Secretary of State before 5 o’clock p. m., on the fifth Tuesday 
before the day of election; and nomination papers shall be filed 
with the Secretary of State before five o’clock p. m., on the fourth 
Tuesday before the day of election; provided, that in cases where,, 
under the law, it becomes necssary to hold an election to fill a 
vacancy such certificates of nominations and nomination papers 
shall be filed not less than fifteen full days before the day of 
election. (As amended and re-enacted by Act 132 of 1900.) 


21 


Sec. 55. Be it further enacted, etc., That the certificates of 
nomination and nominating papers being so filed and being in 
apparent conformity with the provisions of this act, shall be 
deemed to be regular, unless objections to their regularity is 
made in writing within the 72 hours after the last day allowed 
by law for filing such papers. ‘Such objections arising in relation 
thereto shall be considered by a Contest Board composed of the 
Secretary of State, the A uditor and the Treasurer and two 
electors to be appointed, by the Governor within 24 hours after 
the last day and hour for 1he filing of the objections and the de¬ 
cision of the majority of these officers shall be final. In case 
such objections is made, the objector shall at the same time notify 
the party or parties affected thereby, and shall certify under oath 
to the Secretary of State in what manner he has notified such 
party. If for any reason no decision shall be arrived at within 
said time, the certificate shall be considered regular. It shall be 
proper for the officers above named, in the decision of any ques¬ 
tion as to the proper political party designation of candidates 
nominated by certificates of nomination and those nominated by 
nomination papers. (As amended and re-enacted by Act 132 of 
1900.) 

Sec. 56. Be it further enacted, etc.. That whenever under 
the provisions of this act a greater number of candidates are 
nominated for any office, through certificates of nomination bear¬ 
ing the same party designation, than there are persons to be 
elected to such office, it shall be the duty of the aforesaid officers 
(See Section 55) to determine which of said candidates, if any 
is entitled to such party designation, and no greater number of 
candidates for any office shall appear upon the official ballot 
bearing any one party designation, than there are persons to be 
elected to such office, and the name of no candidate shall appear 
on the official ballot in more than one place. (As amended and 
re-enacted by Act 132 of 1900.) 

Sec. 57. Be it further enacted, etc.. That any person whose 

, , -..n ’ 1 Withdrawal of 

name has been presented as a candidate may cause his name to be candidates. 

withdrawn from nomination by request in writing, signed by 

him and acknowledged before an officer qualified to administer 

an oath, and filed with the Secretary of State, within seventy- 

two hours succeeding the last day fixed for the filing of such 





22 


certificates and nomination papers, and no name so withdrawn 
shall be printed upon the ballot. No nomination published as 
hereinafter provided shall be subsequently omitted as irregular. 

Manner of filling Sec. 58. Be it further enacted, etc.. That in case a candidate 

withdrawal of nom- who lias been duly nominated under the provisions of this Act 

inations. -..it o • • 

shall cause his name to be withdrawn from nomination as pro¬ 
vided in Section 57, or shall be found by the officers named in 
Section 55 to have been irregularly nominated, the vacancy 
may be supplied by tbe political party or other person making 
the original nomination in the same manner in which the origi¬ 
nal nomination was made, provided, that the new nomination 
be filed with the Secretary of iState before the four or three 
weeks prior to the day of election as required by Section 54 of 
this Act. In case of death, and in such case only, this vacancy 
may be supplied if the nomination was made by a convention or 
caucus in such manner as the convention or caucus has previously 
provided for the purpose or in case of no such previous provision, 
then by regularly chosen general or executive committee repre¬ 
senting the political party or persons holding such convention or 
caucus, provided, such new certificate of nomination or nomina¬ 
tion paper shall be filed with the Secretary of State fourteen 
full days before the day of election. The certificate of nomina¬ 
tion made for supplying such vacancy shall state, in addition 
to the other facts required by this act the name of the original 
nominee, the date of his death, withdrawal, or the ascertainment 
of the irregularity of his nomination certificate or paper, and 
the measures taken in accordance with the requirements for fill¬ 
ing the vacancy; and it shall be signed and sworn to by the 
presiding officer and secretary of the convention or caucus, or 
by the chairman and secretary of the duly authorized committee, 
as the case may be. The name so supplied for the vacancy shall^ 
if the ballots for the office are not already printed be placed on 
the ballots instead of the original nomination; or if the ballots 
have been printed, new ballots containing the new nomination 
shall, whenever practicable, be printed. 

Blanks for nomi- Sec. 59. Be it further enacted, etc.. That the Secretary of 
State shall furnish, upon application, blank forms for the nom¬ 
ination of candidates. 


23 


I 


Sec. 60. Be it further enacted, etc., That all certificates of 
nomination and nomination papers when filed shall be open under 
proper regulations to public inspection and the Secretary of 
State shall preserve the same in his office not less than one year. 

Sec. 61. Be it further enacted, etc.. That it shall be the duty 
of the Secretary of State to promulgate within 24 hours of the 
receipt thereof, in the official journal of the State the names of 
all persons nominated under the provisions of this act, together 
with the office for which such nomination is made whenever tho 
said nominations are made for a State, Electoral and Congres¬ 
sional office. Nominations for district, judicial, or senatorial, 
promulgations shall be made by the Registrator of Voters of the 
parish where the convention is held or nomination paper certified 
to, and published in the official journal of, and at the expense of 
j the several parishes of the district. Nominations for parochial, 

I ward and municipal officers by the Registrar of Voters of the 
parish within wffiich said nominations are made in the official 
I journal of, and at the expense of the parish. (As amended and 
I re-enacted by Act 132 of 1900.) 

I Sec. 62. Be it further enacted, etc.. That in reckoning the 
I number of days mentioned in this act, Sundays and holidays shall 
be included; provided, however, that if the final day mentioned 
I shall fall on Sunday or a holiday, the first day previous to such 
day or days shall be considered the final day if the period of 
; time precedes a certain day, act or event, and the, first day fol¬ 
lowing such day or days shall be considered the final day if the 
period of time follows a certain day, or event. 

Sec. 63. Be it further enacted, etc.. That any person who 
I shall falsely make or wilfully deface, or destroy, add to, or 
otherwise alter, or tamper with any certificate of nomination or 
nomination paper, or any part thereof, or any letter of with¬ 
drawal, or sign any such certificate or paper contrary to the pro¬ 
visions of this act or file any certificate of nomination or nomina¬ 
tion paper or letter of withdrawal, knowing the same or any 
part thereof to be falsely made, or suppress any certificate or 
nomination paper, or any part thereof which has been duly filed, 
shall be punished in accordance with Sec. 44 of this Act. (As 
amended and re-enacted by Act 132 of 1900. 


All nomina t i o n 
papers open for 
public inspection. 


Manner of reck¬ 
oning days for fil¬ 
ing nominations. 



24 


prwidininum^r Sec. 64. Be it further enacted, etc., That no meeting ex- 
to m a^k e^nwSna^ cept such as is Called and held on behalf of a political party or 
other nominating body, which polled at least ten per centum of 
the entire vote east in the State at the general election, or at the 
United States Presidential election next preceding the holding of 
such meeting shall constitute a caucus, or shall be authorized to 
make a nomination or to choose delegates to a nominating con¬ 
vention unless qualified voters of the electoral district or division 
for which it is called, participate therein to the number of twen¬ 
ty-five, (25). A nomination for a representative district, if such 
district or division contains more than one ward of a City, shall 
not be made by caucus, but every nomination shall be made either 
by a convention of delegates, or by a nomination paper, as pro¬ 
vided in this Act. Any convention of delegates representing a 
political party or other nominating body which has polled at 
least ten per centum of the entire vote cast in the State for 
Governor, or for electors of President of the United States at the 
election next preceding may make a nomination for any electoral 
district. (As amended and re-enacted by Act 48 of 1914.) 

FORM OF BALLOT. 


Ballots to be pre- further enacted, etc.. That all elections by the 

of^ltate^ Secretary people, except primary elections and municipal elections in towns 
having a population of less than twenty-five hundred, when such 
elections are not held at the same time as general State elections, 
shall be by official ballot, printed and distributed at the expense 
of the State; and, such ballots shall have printed thereon, and 
at the head and immediately preceding the list of names of the 
candidates of each political party or nominating paper, a specific 
and separate device by which the political party and candidates 
of such political party or nominating paper may be indicated. By 
Party device or stamping such device at the head of the list of the candidates of 
ticket ®^^^^^^^each political party, or nominating paper, the voter may indi¬ 
cate that his vote is for the entire or straight ticket of the par¬ 
ticular party or nominating paper employing the particular 
device allotted to such political party or nominating paper. When 
the voter does not desire to vote an entire straight party ticket 
he may vote for candidates of any political party or nominating 
paper by stamping a blank space to be left opposite the name of 
each candidate on said official ballot. 


25 


The State Central Committee of each of the political parties 
in this State shall select a party device and certify the same to 
the Secretary of State, provided that, if any two of the State 
Central Committee representing different parties should select 
the same device, the one first selecting and certifying the same 
to the Secretary of State shall be entitled to the said device, w^hich 
fact the Secretary of State shall make known to the party last 
selecting the device in order that such party may have an oppor¬ 
tunity of making another selection. The said device so selected 
shall be certified to by the Secretary of State prior to and not 
later than the last day for filing nominations by political parties 
I or nominating bodies. 

j Whenever the approval of a constitutional amendment or 
other question be submitted to the vote of the people, such ques¬ 
tion shall be printed upon the ballot after the list of candidates 
under each party device. The ballots shall be so printed as to 
I give to each voter a clear opportunity to designate by mark in a 
i sufficient margin at the right of the name of each candidate his 
I choice of candidates and his answer to questions submitted. 

Provided, that should any clerical or typographical errors 
occur in the printing of the official ballot or tally sheets, no can¬ 
didate or measure shall be prejudiced thereby, but it shall be the 
duty of the Returning Officers upon such error being called to 
their attention to obtain from the Secretary of State a certified 
j copy of the certificate of nomination or nomination paper, if 

! such error should occur in the name of the candidate being voted 

I for, or certified copy of the measure voted for, and shall there¬ 
upon cause such error to be corrected and the returns to bo 
promulgated as if no such error had occurred. 

Sec. 66. Be it further enacted, etc.. That the ballots furnished 
by the Secretary of State shall be of plain white paper, in weight 
not less than the best quality No. 2 book paper, and of such 
length and width as may be necessary, provided that all ballots 
furnished for use in any one precinct shall be of the same length. 
Before distribution, the ballots shall be so folded in marked 
creases that their width and length will be of convenient size 
for insertion into the ballot box. On the back and outside, when 
folded, shall be printed in great primer Roman condensed capi- 


State Central 
Committee to se¬ 
lect party device. 


C o n s t i tutional 
amendments. 


Provisions rela¬ 
tive to clerical er¬ 
rors. 


Form of ballot. 






26 


tals “Official Ballots” followed by the designations of the polling 
places and election for which the ballot is prepared, the date of 
election, and. a fac simile of the signature of the Secretary of 
State. 


Directions for vot¬ 
ing. 


Voting spaces. 


The following directions shall be conspicuously printed on 
the face of the ballot and around the device: “To vote for a 
straight party ticket stamp here.” 

To the right of the name of each candidate and on the same 
horizontal line as the name of the candidate, shall be a square 
hereinafter called a voting space. Voting space on any ballot 
provided for any one polling place shall be of uniform size and 
shall be arranged in a vertical column. Voting spaces opposite 
the names of all candidates for the same office shall be printed 
as a continuous column. Voting spaces shall be printed solidly 
in white, one-quarter of an inch square, enclosed in black lines. 
If in case of any office, no nominations of candidates to fill the 
same have been made, the title of such office shall be printed upon 
the ballot, and as many blank spaces shall be left below such 
title as there are persons to be elected to the office, and at the 
right of each such space shall be a voting space. 

Size of Ballot, 67. Be it further enacted, etc.. That all of the official 

b«^unifornf’ ballots prepared for the same polling place shall be of precisely 
the same size, arrangement, quality and tint of paper and kind 
of type, and shall be printed with black ink of the same tint, so 
that it shall be impossible to distinguish any one ballot from the 
other. If at a general election in any Congressional district one 
representative in Congress is to be elected for a full term and 
another to fill a vacancy, the ballots containing the names of the 
candidates shall as a part of the title of the office designate the 
term or vacancy for, or to fill which the candidates are severally 
nominated. 


How ballots shall 
be folded when 
printed. 


Sec. 68. Be it further enacted, etc., That all ballots when 
printed shall be folded as hereinbefore provided, and fastened 
together with convenient numbers in packages, books or blocks 


in such manner that each ballot may be detached and removed 


separately. 



27 


Sec. 69. Be it further enacted, etc., That the Secretary of 
State shall prepare full instruction for the guidance of voters, 
as to obtaining ballots, manner of making them, the method of 
obtaining assistance, and obtaining new ballots in place of those 
accidentally spoiled, and shall cause the same, together with 
copies of Sections 34, 35, 36 and 44 of this Act, to be printed in 
large clear type, on separate cards, to be called “Cards of In¬ 
struction,” together with at least three sample ballots, to be 
nailed up in a prominent place outside of each polling booth in 
the same manner as hereinafter provided for in Section 71 of this 
Act, and he shall furnish the same for use at each election. (As 
amended and re-enacted by Act 132 of 1900.) 

DELIVERY OF BALLOTS. 

Sec. 70. Be it further enacted, etc.. That the Secretary of 
State shall send a sufficient number of ballots, together with a 
sufficient number of tally sheets and ten of the cards of instruc¬ 
tion, to the Board of Supervisors of the several cities or parishes 
so as to be received by them twenty-four hours, at least, previous 
to the day of election. The same shall be sent in sealed packages, 
with marks on the outside clearly designating the polling place 
for which they are intended and the number of ballots enclosed, 
and the respective Board of Supervisors, shall on delivery to them 
of such packages, return receipts therefor to the Secretary of 
State. The Secretary of State shall keep a record of the time 
when and the manner in which the several packages are sent and 
of the number of ballots in each package, and shall preserve the 
same for the period of one year, together with the receipts of the 
Board of Supervisors. 

Sec. 71. Be it further enacted, etc.. That the several Boards 
of Supervisors shall send to the commissioners of each voting 
place, before the opening of the polls on the day of the election, 
cards of instruction, tally-sheets, blanks, forms and one set of 
ballots as sealed and marked by the Secretary of State for such 
voting place; and a receipt of such delivery shall be returned to 
them from the commissioners present, which receipt shall be 
kept for the period of one year. At the opening of the polls in 
each polling place the seal of the. package shall be publicly opened 
and the package shall be opened by the commissioners, and the 


Ballots, etc., to be 
sent Board of Su¬ 
pervisors. 


Record to be 
kept by Secretary 
of State. 






28 


book or blocks of ballots shall be delivered to the commissioners 
of election hereinafter provided for. The cards of instructions 
and sample ballots shall be immediately posted at or in each 
voting shelf or compartment provided in accordance with this 
Act and not less than three such cards shall be posted in or 
about the polling room, outside of the guard rail. (As amended 
and re-enacted by Act 132 of 1900.) 

Sec. 72. Be it further enacted, etc., That in case the ballots 
bai-to be furnished to any voting place, in accordance with the pro¬ 
visions of this act shall fail for any reason to be delivered, or in 
case after delivery they shall be destroyed or stolen, it shall be 
the duty of the Board of Supervisors to cause other ballots and 
cards of instruction to be prepared substantially in the form and 
to the number of the ballots wanting and to be furnished; and, 
upon receipts of such other ballots from them, accompanied by a 
statement under oath that the same have been so prepared and 
furnished by them and that the original ballots have failed to be 
received or have been destroyed or stolen, the Commissioners 
shall cause the ballots so substituted to be used in lieu of the 
ballots wanting, as above. The written statement under oath, 
of the Board of Supervisors shall.be made part of the returns, 
and shall be enclosed in the envelope containing the compiled 
statement of the National, State and parochial offices to the Sec¬ 
retary of State. 

Voting booths and further enacted, etc.. That the officers whose 

more^\£n°^ 5 M 00 ^^^^^ designate and appoint polling places in cities of 

inhabitants. more than fifty thousand inhabitants shall cause the same to be 

provided with voting shelves and compartments, known as poll¬ 
ing booths, in which voters may conveniently mark their ballots. 
There shall be in each polling place, during each election, a 
sufficient number of voting booths, and not less than one for every 
one hundred voters in the precinct. Each such booth shall be 
at least three feet square, shall have four sides enclosed, each at 
least six feet high, and the one in front shall open and shut as a 
door swinging outwards and shall extend within two feet of the 
floor. Each such booth shall contain a shelf which shall be one 
foot wide, extending across one side of the booth at a convenient 
height for writing, and shall be furnished with such supplies and 


29 


conveniences, including black ink, pads, blotting paper and 
pencils having black lead only as will enable the voters to con¬ 
veniently prepare their ballots for voling. Each polling booth 
shall be furnished with stamps or dies for making the voting 
mark upon the ballots, and shall have inking pads with ink of 
uniform color and quality. Each booth shall be kept clearly 
lighted, while the. polls are open, by artificial lights if necessary. 
A guard rail shall be placed at each polling place at least six 
feet from the ballot boxes and the booths, and no ballot box or 
booth shall be placed within six feet of such rail and each guard 
rail shall be provided with a separate entrance and separate exit. 
The arrangements of the polling place shall be such that the 
booths can only be reached by passing within the guard rail, 
and that the booths, ballot boxes, commissioners and every part 
of the polling places, except the inside of the booth, shall be in 
plain view of the commissioners and of persons just outside of 
the guard rail. Such booths shall be so arranged that there shall 
be no access to intending voters or to the booths through any door, 
window or opening, except by the door in front of said booth. 


PREPARATION OF BALLOT AND VOTING. 


Sec. 74 Be it further enacted, etc.. That any person desiring 
to vote shall give his name, occupation and registration paper, 
if such b(^ provided for to the presiding commissioner, who shall 
thereu])C.n announce the same in a loud and distinct tone of voice, 
clear and audible, and if such name is found upon the registra¬ 
tion list by the commissioner having charge thereof, he shall like¬ 
wise repeat the same, and the voter shall then be allowed to 
enter the space enclosed by the guard rail, as above provided. 
The commissioner shall give him one, and only one ballot, and 
his name shall be immediately checked on said list, and shall, 
also be entered upon a poll list, which shall be numbered from 
one to the end, before he deposits his ballot in the box. 

The commissioner in charge of the poll list immediately after 
entering the voter’s name thereon, and on the same line with 
the voter’s name shall, by making a cross, indicating that this 
voter has received one ballot; and should the voter return the 
first ballot and receive a second ballot, the commissioner in 


Prep aration of 
ballot 


List of voters to 
be kept. 





30 


charge of the poll list shall place opposite the voter’s name and 
on the same line on the poll list and next to the first cross a 
second cross; these crosses shall be the record of the number 
ballots obtained by any voter. After three crosses have been 
placed opposite the name of any voter on the poll list, said voter 
shall receive no more ballots. 

Manner of piac- further enacted, etc.. On receiving his ballot 

ing ballot in box. voter shall forthwith forward and without leaving the en¬ 
closed space, retire alone to one of the voting booths or to the 
table or shelf, and without undue delay, unfold and mark his 
ballot therein as hereafter described. 

When the voter has so marked the ballot received by him he 
shall before leaving the booth or enclosed space refold the ballot, 
immediately cast the same and leave the voting place. 

Ballots to be re- Every voter who does not vote a ballot delivered to him by 

sioTe1?i/not°^ted ballot commissioner shall, before passing outside the guard 

rail or enclosed space, return such ballot to such officer, who 
shall stamp the same “spoiled” and deposit in the box for 
spoiled ballots. And the voter shall not again return within 
the guard rail. 

Provisions regu- ballot, either spoiled or otherwise, shall be carried awav 

latmg the order nad ^ 

manner of voting, from the voting place or taken outside the guard raiL 


No more voters shall be permitted to pass the guard rail than 
there are unoccupied booths provided for in this act only one 
voter shall be allowed within the-enclosed space. 

No voter shall be allowed to occupy a booth already occupied 
by another, or to occupy a booth or enclosed space more than 
three minutes or to speak or converse with any one, except as 
in this act provided, while within the guard rail. It shall be 
unlawful for a voter to deface or tear any ballot or to mark the 
same otherwise than as provided in this section. 

Every ballot voted which is defaced or torn or which is 
marked otherwise than as in this section provided, shall be 
treated as a ballot marked for identification. 

If a voter tear, soil or deface a ballot so that it cannot be 
used, he may successfully obtain others, one at a time, not ex¬ 
ceeding in all three, upon returning each ballot so torn, soiled 
or defaced to the commissioner, which ballot so returned sAall 


31 


be immediately marked or stamped ^‘spoiled” across the official, 
endorsement and placed in the box for spoiled ballots and entry 
of such fact made on the poll lists as required by this act. 

If he desires to vote for a person other than nominees of Manner of voting 
political parties, he must write the name of such person in the print?d^bafiot.°^ 
space provided for such purpose, with a pencil having black 
lead, and obliterate with the official stamp the write square in 
the voting space at the right of the name so written. 

In marking a ballot upon which is printed for submission Manner of sroting 
to the voters any question of the adoption or a constitutional 
amendment, or any other proposition or question, he shall ob¬ 
literate with the official stamp the white square in the voting 
space after the word ‘‘yes’’ printed at the right of the question, 
for an affirmative vote upon such question; or he shall obliter¬ 
ate with the official stamp the white square after the word “no” 
similarly printed for negative vote upon such question. 

(iSee Act 243 of 1914 providing for correct count of votes on 
constitutional amendments, printed on page 38 of this volume.) 

Sec. 76. Be it further enacted, etc.. That no ballot without aii ballots to have 
the official endorsement, shall as herein otherwise provided, be endorse- 

allowed to be deposited in the ballot box, and none but ballots 
provided in accordance with the provisions of this act shall be 
counted. Any voter who declares to the presiding commissioner 
that by blindness or other physical disability he is unable to mark 
his ballot, shall, upon request, receive the assistance of two of 
the commissioners, who shall be of different political parties, or 
factions, represented among the commissioners, in the marking 
thereof, and neither the voter nor the said commissioners shall 
thereafter give any information regarding the same. The com¬ 
missioner shall require such declaration of disability to be made 
by the voter under oath before him, and he is hereby qualified 
to administer the same. 

Sec. 77. Be it further enacted, etc.. That any voter or com- Relative to se- 
sioner who shall except as hereinbefore provided, allow his ballot ballot, 

to be seen by any person with an apparent intention of letting 
it be known how he is about to vote, or place any distinguishing 
mark upon his ballot, or who shall make a false statement as to 
his inability to mark his ballot, or any person who shall intefer^ 






32 


or attempt to interfere with any voter when inside said inclosed 
space or when marking his ballot, or who shall endeavor to in¬ 
duce any voter before voting to show how he is about to mark, 
or has marked his ballot, or otherwise violates any of the pro¬ 
visions of this Act, shall be punished in accordance with Section 
44 of this Act. 

Sec. 78. Be it further enacted, etc.. That any person who 
shall, prior to or during an election, wilfully deface or destroy 
any card of instruction or sample ballot printed or posted for 
the instruction of voters, wilfully remove or destroy any of the 
supplies or conveniences furnished to enable a voter to prepare 
his ballot, or shall wilfully hinder the voting of others, shall be 
punished in accordance with Section 44 of this Act. 

Every commissioner of election, or other officer or person 
having the custody of any record register of votes, or copy there¬ 
of, oath, return of votes, certificates, poll lists, or any paper, 
document or evidence of any description in this Act directed 
to be made filed or preserved, who is guilty of stealing, wilfully 
destroying mutilating defacing, falsifying, or fraudulently re¬ 
moving or secreting the whole or any part thereof, or who shall 
fraudulently make any entry, erasure or alteration therein, ex¬ 
cept as allowed and directed by the provisions of this Act or who 
permits any other person so to do, shall be guilty of a felony 
and upon conviction thereof, be punished in accordance with 
Section 44 of this Act. (As amended and re-enacted by Act 132 
of 1900.) 

Penalty for any further enacted, etc., That any person in the 

railway, express oremployment of anv railwav, express, or other transportation 

other common car- i 

rier, who shall de- company or any other common carrier, or any person, who shall 
lay, steal or de- 7 ^ ^ 

stro^^iectiont mat- delay, steal, destroy or make way with while in transit from the 
mission, etc. office of the Secretary of State to the Board of Supervisors of 
Election of any parish in this State, any box or package con¬ 
taining ballots or other election supplies, shall be guilty of a 
felony, and upon conviction thereof be punished in accordance 
with Section 44 of this act. 

And every person not an officer who is guilty of the afore¬ 
said acts or who advises, procures, or abets the commission of 
the same, or any of them shall, upon conviction thereof, be pun¬ 
ished in accordance with Section 44, of this act. 



33 


Sec. 80. Be it further enacted, etc., That as soon as the polls Manner of count- 
are closed the Commissioners shall at once rule otf and sign and 
swear to the poll list, writing out beneath the said ruling the 
number of votes contained thereon, and shall seal up and mark 
on the wrappers with the ward and precinct number all unused 
ballots, including all ballots that have been spoiled and defaced 
by voters in attempting to mark the same, and shall endorse 
thereon the number of ballots therein contained. The officers 
in charge of the poll books shall in the presence of the other 
officers and the public, count in a distinct and audible voice the 
names checked on said list and announce the whole number 
thereof, and compare the same with the poll list, correcting any 
discrepancies between them and noting the same at the bottom of 
the poll list before proceeding with the count. The ballot box, 
without being removed from the public view, shall be opened by 
the presiding officer, and the Commissioners shall commence by 
counting the ballots found therein without unfolding them except 
so far as to ascertain that each ballot is single, and by com¬ 
paring the ballots found in the box with the number shown by 
the poll lists to have been deposited therein. If the ballots 
found in any box shall be more than the number of ballots so 
shown to have been deposited therein, such ballots shall all be 
replaced without being unfolded in the box from which they 
were taken, and one of the Commissioners shall, without see¬ 
ing the same and with his back to the box, thoroughly mingle 
the ballots together, and another commissioner shall, without 
seeing the same, and with his back to the box, publicly draw 
out as many ballots as shall be equal to such excess, and with¬ 
out unfolding them, the commissioner shall forthwith mark the 
same ‘‘uncounted in excess of poll list,’’ and attach a signed 
statement of the number of ballots so uncounted, which state¬ 
ment, and the uncounted ballots, shall be made up into a separate 
package and deposited in the ballot box prior to its being sealed 
up in accordance with the provisions of this act. If two or more 
ballots shall be found in a ballot box, so folded together as to 
present the appearance of a single ballot, they shall not be 
counted if the whole number of ballots in such ballot box exceeds 
the whole number of ballots shown by the poll list to have been 






34 


deposited therein. No ballot that has not the official endorse¬ 
ment shall be counted, except such as are voted in accordance 
with the provisions of this act relative to official ballots. All 
such uncounted ballots shall be endorsed and deposited in the 
ballot box when it is finally sealed up in accordance with the 
provisions of this act. 

If on any ballot, the voter has not made the voting mark, 
as required, or if he has not made the voting mark opposite 
the answer to any question submitted, or has made such mark 
opposite both the negative and affirmative answers to such ques¬ 
tions, or for any reason it is impossible to determine the choice 
of any voter for any office or his vote upon any question, his 
vote for such office or upon such questions shall be counted as a 
blank. 

Objections may Commissioner may declare his belief that any particular 

of rSked^baUot^^^^^^^®^ been marked for identification and may object to any 
decision to count or not to count any vote. When a Commis¬ 
sioner shall, during the canvass of the votes or immediately after 
the completion thereof, declare his belief that any particular bal¬ 
lot has been written upon or marked in anj^ way for the purpose 
of identification, the Commissioner shall write on the back of each 
ballot the word objected to because marked for identification, 
and sign their names thereto. Each such ballot shall be counted : 
by them the same as if not so objected to. All such ballots shall ' 
be placed forthwith in a separate pile, and all such piles shall be i 
enclosed in a securely sealed package, which shall be endorsed 
“ballots objected to because marked for identification,” and with 
the signatures of the Commissioners, and such package shall be 
attached to their written statement of the result of the canvass. 
Every ballot which a voter has defaced or torn or which he has 
marked in any manner save as provided in Section 75, of this 
Act, shall likewise be endorsed “objected to because marked for 
identification,” and shall likewise be enclosed in the package so 
marked. 

When any Commissioner shall object to any decision of the 
Commissioners to count any vote, the Commissioners shall im¬ 
mediately fold the ballot and write in ink upon the back thereof 
a number to identify the ballot, and the words “objected to by.” 





35 


They shall then endorse below such words a concise statement of 
the precise decision objected to. The Commissioners concurring 
in the decision shall thereupon sign their names to such state¬ 
ment, and the Commissioner objecting to the decision shall sign 
his name and address after the words “objected to by.’’ All 
such ballots shall be placed forthwith in a separate pile, and 
shall be enclosed in a securely sealed package, which shall be 
endorsed “ballots objected to as incorrectly canvassed,” and with 
the signatures of the Commissioners and each such packages shall 
be attached to their written statements of the results of the 
canvass. 

REPEALING CLAUSE. 

Sec. 81. Be it further enacted, etc.. That all laws or parts 

^ Repealing clause. 

of laws contrary to or in conflict with the provisions of this act 
are hereby repealed. 


ACT NO. 241. 


House Bill No. 409. By Mr. Fontenot. 

To provide for the election of United States senators by the peo¬ 
ple, and fixing the time and prescribing the manner of election 
and for the Ailing of vacancies. 

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State 
of Louisiana, that United States senators from Louisiana shall be United states 
elected by the people, in accordance with the seventeenth amend- 
ment to the Constitution of the United States; that United States 
senators shall be elected at the same time and in the same manner 
that representatives in the lower house of Congress are elected, 
and that they shall be elected at the congressional election next 
preceding the expiration of a full term in the United States Senate 
and the election of a senator shall be certified to the governor in 
the same manner that the elections of representatives in Congress 
are certified, and the governor shall issue a commission upon the 
proper certificate certifying the election of a senator. 

Section 2. Be it further enacted, etc.. That there shall be elect¬ 
ed, by the electors of Louisiana, qualified under the law to vote for Member of Con- 
representatives in the lower house of Congress, one United States 
senator at the same time and in the same manner that members of 
the lower house of Congress are elected in the year of our Lord 
nineteen hundred and eighteen, and every six years thereafter; 









36 


and in the same manner there shall be one United States senator 
elected at the congressional election in the year of our Lord nine¬ 
teen hundred and twenty, and every six years thereafter. 

Section 3. Be it further enacted, etc.. That if a vacancy shall 
Vacancies. occur in the office of United States senator from Louisiana by 
death, resignation or otherwise, the Governor shall, within ten 
days after receiving official notice of such vacancy, issue his proc¬ 
lamation for an election to be held in the State to elect a senator 
to fill such unexpired term as may remain, provided such expired 
term is not less than twelve months and the election shall be held 
within ninety days from the time said proclamation is issued and 
the returns of such election shall be certified to the governor in the 
manner set out above for regular elections, unless said vacancy 
shall occur in a year that there shall be held a general state or 
congressional election, in which event the governor ’s proclamation 
shall designate the general election day as the time for electing a 
senator, and the vacancy shall be filled by appointment as here¬ 
inafter provided. 

Section 4. Be it further enacted, etc., That in case of a vacancy 

Governor may in the office of United States senator the governor may appoint a 

P(5ntmerit?°^^^^ ^^“senator to fill such vacancy temporarily, and if the United States 

senate be in session at the time such vacancy occurs, the governor 

shall appoint a senator within ten days after receiving official 

notice of such vacancy, and the senator so appointed shall serve 

until his successor is elected and commissioned as above provided 

for: provided, that such unexpired term as he may be appointed 

to fill shall be for a lonsrer time than one vear, but if for a shorter ' 

• ♦ ' ^ 

^ time than' one year, he shall serve for the full time of the un¬ 
expired term and no special election shall be called by the gov¬ 
ernor, but his successor shall be elected at the regular election. 

Section 5. Be it further enacted, etc.. That all laws and parts 
epeamg clause. hereby repealed, and this act 

shall tak° effect and be in force from and after its passage. 

L. E. THOMAS, 

Speaker of the House of Representatives. 
THOMAS C. BARRET, 

Lieutenant Governor and President of the Senate. 

Approved: July 9, 1914. 

L. E. HALL, 

Governor of the State of Louisiana. 

A true copv: 

ALVTN E. HEBERT. 

Secretary of State. 



MISCELLANEOUS LAWS 


PRESCRIBING THE BUTTES OF THE REGISTRARS OP 
VOTERS IN RELATION TO NOMINATION PAPERS, 

AND REGULATING TIME WHEN SAME SHOULD 
BE FILED WITH THE SECRETARY OP STATE. 

ACT 96 OP 1908. 

AN ACT 

Declaring who can sign nomination papers, prescribing the duties 
of the various Registrars of Voters in relations to same, 
and regulating the time when nomination papers shall be 
filed with the Secretary of State. 

; Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State 
i of Louisiana, That the Registrar of Voters for each and every ers can only certify 
parish in this State, be and he is hereby prohibited from certify- pendent^%o°ters”^(ni 
ing to the signatures on any nomination papers or certificates of na^ion^plpers. ° 
any voter who has registered his party affiliation as provided for 
by the laws of this State and any signature of any voter who has 
registered as affiliating with any political party shall not be com¬ 
puted and counted in making up the number requisite under the 
laws of this State for a candidate to be placed on the official 
ballot under nominating papers or certificates. 

Section 2. Be it further enacted, etc.. That any person desir- 
ing to become a candidate for any office by means oi nominating ination papers must 
papers, as provided tor under the general election laws ot this ^ate of primary. 
State shall file with the Secretary of State the said nominating 
papers as required by law, and in conformity with the provisions 
of law, on or before the date on which the first primary election 
is held to nominate candidates, for the ensuing election, by any 
political party in this State. 

Section 3. Be it further enacted, etc.. That all laws or parts 
of laws in conflict with any of the provisions of this Act, be and 
the same are hereb}" repealed. 

Approved: July 1st. 1908. 







38 


Vacancy filled 
election where 
expired term 
ceeds one year. 


PROVIDING FOR THE FILLING OF VACANCIES IN OF¬ 
FICE WHERE THE UNEXPIRED TERM IS MORE 
THAN ONE YEAR. 

ACT NO. 112 OF 1912. 

AN 4CT 

Making all vacancies caused by death, resignation or otherwise 
in all offices elected by the people, elective, provided the 
unexpired term is for a longer period than one year. Said 
election to fill such vacancy to be ordered by proper legal 
authority within the least possible delay. 

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State 
^J'of Louisiana, That in the event of a vacancy being caused by 
death, resignation, or removal, or otherwise of any officer of 
the State of Louisiana, of any Parish of the State, any District 
of the State or any sub-division of the State, same shall be filled 
by election, provided that the said office is, by law, made elective 
by the people, and further provided that the unexpired term is 
for a longer period than one year. Said election to fill said va¬ 
cancy shall be ordered by the proper legal authority within the 
least possible delay under the general election laws of the Str 
Section 2. Be it further enacted, etc.. That all laws or parts 
of laws in conflict with this Act be and the same are hereby 
repealed. 

Approved: July 8th, 1912. 


COMMISSIONERS AND CLERKS OF ELECTION PROHIB¬ 
ITED FROM MAKING FALSE RETURNS ON AMEND¬ 
MENTS TO STATE CONSTITUTION. 

ACT NO. 243 OF 1914. 

AN ACT 

To provide for a correct count and tabulation of votes cast for 
any amendment for the Constitution, or any proposition 
placed on the official ballot at any general election under 
the election laws, and making it a penalty by fine and im¬ 
prisonment for the violation thereof. 




39 



Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State Penalty for fraud- 
of Louisiana; That whenever there shall appear on the official votes on constitu- 
ballot to be voted for at general elections held under the general amendments, 
election laws of the State, a proposition or an amendment to the 
State Constitution, or a proposition for a tax levy or any propo¬ 
sition appearing on the official ballot proposed by the General 
Assembly, or on a petition of citizens, it shall be the duty of com¬ 
missioners and clerks of election, to tabulate and correctly count 
and make returns the votes cast thereon the same as in the case of 
a candidate, and any violation of this ACT shall be deemed a 
misdemeanor and punishably by fine of not less than One Hun¬ 
dred Hollars and not more than Five Hundred Dollars, and im¬ 
prisonment in the Parish Prison or Police Jail for not less than 
six months nor more than One year. 

•Section 2. Be it further enacted, that all laws or parts of Repealing clause, 
laws inconsistent herewith or in conflict herewith be and the same 
are hereby repealed. 

Section 3. Be it further enacted, etc., that this Act shall take 
effect from and after its passage. 

Approved: JuH 9, 1914. 


PROVIDING FOR THE RECALL OF CERTAIN OFFICERS 
ELECTED BY THE PEOPLE. 

ACT NO. 286 OF 1914. 

AN ACT 

Of the General Assembly of the State of Louisiana, carrying 
into effect Article 223 of the Constitution of the State of 
Louisiana, providing for the recall of certain officers elect¬ 
ed by the people; prescribing the form of petition, the 
manner of verification and ascertainment that the requisite 
number of legally qualified voters has signed same, and 
also the manner and method of calling such election, mak¬ 
ing returns thereof, and promulgating the results thereof; 
prescribing the form of ballot to be used, and providing 
how candidates to succeed the officer sought to be recalled 
may have their names placed upon the recall ballot; and 
providing for the punishment of any violation of this 
Act. 




40 


Officers 

recalled. 


Petition 

call. 


m a y be SecMoii 1: Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the 
State of Louisiana that any officer of tliis State, (except the 
Judges of various Courts of record, and the Judges of the vari¬ 
ous City^ Court throughout the State, and the Justices of the 
Peace) and any officer of any District, Judicial or otherwise, 
and any officer of any Parish or Ward thereof, and any officer 
of any Municipality or Ward thereof, may be recalled by a ma¬ 
jority of the voters of the State, District, Judicial or otherwise. 
Parish or Ward of a Parish, Municipality or Ward of a Mu¬ 
nicipality at an election called, conducted and held as herein¬ 
after prescribed. 

for re- Section 2: Be it further enacted, etc.. That all petitions ask¬ 
ing for an election to recall any officer of the State of Louisiana, 
or of any District, Judicial, or otherwise, or of any Parish or 
Ward thereof, or any municipality or Wards thereof, (except 
the Judges (d various courts of Record and the Judges oP the 
various City Court throughout the State and Justices of the 
Peac'^) elected hy the people shall be addressed to the Governor 
of the State of Louisiana, except when the object of the peti¬ 
tion is to ask for the recall of the Governor, then such petition 
shall be addressed to the Lieutenant Governor; such petition • 
shall be printed on a single sheet of paper conveniently arranged, 
and all blanks shall be filled in plainly and legibty. A margin of 1 
two inches shall be left at the top of each sheet, and same shall ! 
‘.e substantially in this foi'm: ; 

‘‘To the Honorable (Governor of the State of Louisiana, or j 
Lieutenant Governor of the State of Louisiana, as the case I 
may be) : I 

We, the undersigned Citizens and legal voters of the State of ! 
Louisiana, Parish of, (naming the Parish in which the voters | 
signing the petition resides or votes) and Ward, (naming the ] 
Ward of the Parish in which the voters signing the petition i 
resides or votes) and Precinct (naming the Precinct) hereby | 
petition your Excellency to call a Special Election for the 
(here name the territory in which the recall election is sought), 1 
either State, District, Judicial or otherwise, Parish or Ward : 
thereof. Municipality or AVard thereof, or to submit at any ' 
General Election held throughout the particular territory herein 



41 


I 

.7 


above named within five months from the time this petition is 
certified to you, for the purpose of permitting the qualified 
voters of (naming the territory in which the recall election is 
sought) to vote upon the question of recalling (here name the 
officer sought to be recalled, and give his official title) for his 
office and for the further purpose of electing a successor to said 
officer in the event he is recalled. We urge that the said officer 
ought to be recalled for the following reasons: (here shall follow 
a brief statement of the reasons urged why the officer should be 
recalled.) We concur in all other sheets of the petition asking 
for the same recall election we are asking for. Each of the peti¬ 
tioners whose name follows says for himself: I have personally 
signed this petition, or made my mark; I am a legal voter for the 
State of Louisiana, and of the Parish of (naming the Parish) 
and of (naming the Ward), and of (naming the precinct) and 
my residence and Post Office address are correctly after my 
name. 


Name Residence Post Office 

(here shall follow^ twenty numbered lines for signatures”) 
Section 3. On the opposite side and at the opposite end of 
each and every sheet containing signatures of a petition asking 
for a recall election, the person circulating such petition shall 
make the following affidavit, or in words substantially the same: 
State of Louisiana, 

Parish of. 

I, . 

being first duly sworn says: (here shall be legibly written or 
type-written the names of the Signers of the sheet) signed this 
sheet of the foregoing petition and each of them signed his name 
thereto, or made his mark, in my presence; I believe that each 
has stated his name, postoffice address and residence correctly, 
and that each signer is a legal voter of the State of Louisiana, 

and Parish of.and Ward. 

of said Parish and Precinct. of such Ward 

(as the case may be). (Signature of affiant his residence and 
postoffice address). 














42 


Warning to sign¬ 
ers. 


Subscribed and sworn to before me this .... day of. 

A. D. 19. .. . (Signature and title of the officer before whom 
affidavit is made together with his residence and postoffice ad¬ 
dress). Not more than sixty days time shall intervene between 
the earliest and latest verifications of any sheet of the petition. 

Section 4. There shall be a sheet of paper of the same size 
as the sheet containing the petition, attached to the page of the 
sheet containing the petition and space for the signatures and 
upon which shall be printed the word ‘AVarning” in type at 
least one-half of an inch and under same in ten point type the 
following: “Any person who shall knowingly sign a petition 
asking for a recall election without being a legal voter at the 
time of signing his name, or who shall knowingly sign his name 
more than once asking for such recall election, or who shall sign 
any other name other than his own, is liable to a fine of not more 
than two thousand dollars, and to imprisonment in the State pen¬ 
itentiary for not more than two years.” 


Circulation of pe- Section 5. Any legal voter shall be a competent person to 
circulate a recall petition in the parish or ward of a parish or 
municipality or ward of a municipality wffiere he votes, and any 
legal voter in such parish shall be a competent person to sign 
such petition, but no legal voters shall circulate or sign a recall 
petition in any other parish than where he votes, and no legal 
voter shall sign more than one petition asking for an election to 
recall the same officer, and no person shall sign any other name 
but his own. Not more than twenty petitioners shall sign the 
same sheet of a petition asking for a recall election, and the 
person circulating that particular sheet shall make the affidavit 
provided for in Section 2, of this Act. Any legal voter may 
circulate in his parish or municipality any number of sheets of 
a recall petition. Whenever in the judgment of the person or 
persons circulating such sheets a sufficient number of signatures 
have been secured, such sheets shall be attached to a sheet of 
paper of the same size as the sheet upon which the signatures 
appear, and upon said sheet shall be written or printed, the fol¬ 
lowing endorsement or words to the same effect: Petition to the 
Honorable (Governor or Lieutenant Governor of the State of 
Louisiana, as the case may be) from the legal voters of (here 




43 


name the territory affected by the recall election sought to be 
held) asking that the question of recalling (here name officer 
sought to be recalled and give his legal title) from his office be 
submitted at a general election to be held throughout (here name 
the territory affected) within not less than three months, and 
within not more than five months from the date of the certifi¬ 
cate from the proper officers that a sufficient number of legal 
voters has asked for such recall election.” 

Immediately following the foregoing, and on the same sheet 
an affidavit shall be made by any person who circulated any 
sheet of such recall petition in substantially the following form: 
State of Louisiana, 

Parish of... 

Personally came and appeared before me the undersigned 
authority (here name person making affidavit) who being duly 
sworn says: ' ‘ I circulated one or more of the sheets attached 

hereto of the recall petition asking for a recall election to de¬ 
termine whether or not (here name officer sought to be recalled 
and give his official title) shall be recalled from his office and 
that I have counted the total number of names appearing upon 
the sheets hereto and that such total number is (here give ^ 
words and figures the number) to the best of my knowledge and 
belief). 

I furthermore do solemnly swear that I have examined each 
of said sheets, and that to the best of my knowledge and belief, 
the signatures upon each and all of said sheets have been veri¬ 
fied as required by law. I furthermore do solemnly swear that 
no more than sixty days has elapsed since .the verification of 
any sheet of this petition as shown by the affidavit thereto at¬ 
tached, and that not more than sixty days have elapsed since 
the earliest and latest verification of any of the sheets of this 
petition. I furthermore solemnly swear that the officer whose 
recall is sought by this petition has been notified of the intention 
to circulate this petition as required by law. 

Subscribed and sworn to before me this .... day of. 

A. D. 19. 

Signature of Person making affidavit. 

(Official Title of officer before whom affidavit is made.) 


Affidavit. 









44 


Petition to be 
bound. 


Certificate of Reg¬ 
istrar of Voters. 


Section 6. The various sheets containing signatures shall 
then be bound in a safe and secure manner in one or more 
volumes containing not more than five hundred sheets each, but 
to each volume the instrument and affidavit provided for in 
Section 4, of this Act, Shall be attached, but the affidavit pro¬ 
vided for in said Section may be made by different persons 
authorized by said section. 

There shall accompany each recall petition a certificate of 
the Registrar of voters or officer discharging the functions of 
Registrars of voters, of any municipality or ward thereof and of 
each parish affected by the recall petition certifying the total 
number of voters of any municipality or ward thereof affected 
by the petition or of his Parish if an entire Parish or more is 
affected by the recall petition, or if any one or more wards of 
his parish is affected, then the total number of voters of each 
ward, duly registered and qualified to participate in the last 
preceding general election for the office, the incumbent of which 
is sought to be recalled. 


Duty of Secretary Section 7. The volume or volumes made up as directed in 
an(f Audi1^6 preceding section of this Act shall be filed in the office of 
the Secretary of State, who shall issue to the person or persons 
filing said volume or volumes a receipt sufficiently comprehen¬ 
sive and descriptive as to easily identify the volume or volumes 
so filed. The Secretary of State, the State Treasurer, and Audit¬ 
or of Public Accounts shall meet upon call of the Secretary of 
State within three days after the filing of such recall petition 
and shall proceed without delay to examine such recall petition, 
ascertain the number of names signed to same, and determine 
whether or not such signatures are properly verified and further 
determine whether or not a sufficient number of signatures have 
been secured to the said recall petition as fixed in the constitu¬ 
tion of this State, and they shall forthwith and within six days 
after such recall petition has been filed in the office of the Secre¬ 
tary of State, as aforesaid, certified to by the Governor or Lieu¬ 
tenant Governor, as the case may be, the result of their exami¬ 
nation of said petition. The finding of the said officers as to the 
sufficiency of such petition shall be final and no court of this 
State shall have authority by injunction or otherwise to disturb 



45 


or review their findings or to interfere with them in the dis¬ 
charge of the duties imposed upon them by this Act. All recall 
petitions, nomination petitions and certificates accompanying 
same filed in the office of the Secretary of State shall remain 
there as jDart of the archives of that office. 

Section 8. The Secretary of State shall certify to the Gov- ^ 

Duty of Governor. 

ernor or Lieutenant Governor, as the case may be, the total 
number of signatures appended to the recall petition filed in 
his office and the total number of registered voters qualified to 
participate in the last preceding general election for the office, 
the incumbent of which is sought to be recalled. If such certifi¬ 
cates show that the required number of signatures appear on 
the recall petition, then the Governor or the Lieutenant Gov¬ 
ernor, as the case may be, shall immediately notify the officer 
sought to be recalled, and if there is to be a general election in 
the territory affected by the recall petition in not less than three 
months but in not more than five months from the date of the 
certificate of the Secretary of State, the Governor or Lieutenant 
Governor, as the case may be, shall issue his proclamation sub¬ 
mitting at such general election the question of recalling the 
officer affected by the recall petition, and he shall in such procla¬ 
mation give public notice that a successor to such officer shall be 
elected at the same time that the recall election takes place. In 
the event there is not to be any general election to take place in 
the territory affected by the recall petition until after the expi¬ 
ration of five months from the date of the certificate of the Sec¬ 
retary of State, hereinbefore provided for, then the Governor 
or the Lieutenant Governor, as the case may be, shall issue a 
proclamation calling a special election in the territory affected, 
within the time heretofore set out, submitting the same ques¬ 
tions. Such special election, except as otherwise provided in 
this Act, shall be ordered, conducted and held the same as any 
general election and the returns thereof shall be made and the 
result thereof shall be promulgated the same as the result of any 
general election in the territory affected by the recall election. 

It is hereby made the mandatory duty of all election officials. 

State parish and municipal, having any duty to discharge in 
the matter of holding general elections throughout the State, or 



46 


in any municipality to discharge such duty in the matter of 
holding any recall election contemplated by this Act. 

In the event a majority of votes cast at such recall election 
shall be in favor of such recall, then the officer shall be deemed 
recalled, and he shall surrender his office to his successor as soon 
as his successor has qualified. 

How name may Section 9. Any person eligible to the office the incumbent 
be placed on ballot, whereof is souglit to be recalled may have his name placed on the 
official recall ballot by filing in the office of the Secretary of 
State within fifteen days after the Governor has issued the 
proclamation as provided for in Section 7 of this Act, a petition 
asking that his name be placed on the official ballot signed by 
qualified voters of the territory affected by the recall petition 
to the number of twenty five per centum of the total number of 
registered voters qualified to participate in the last general elec¬ 
tion for the office of the incumbent of which is sought to be re¬ 
called. The petition shall be made up of sheets substantially 
similar to the sheets of the recall petition with but twenty sig¬ 
natures to the sheet, and the signatures shall be verified the 
same as the signatures of the recall petition. Any person au¬ 
thorized by this Act to circulate a recall petition is hereby au¬ 
thorized to circulate a nomination petition which may be cir¬ 
culated at the same time as the recall petition, and any person 
authorized by this Act to sign a recall petition may sign any 
number of nomination petitions. All nomination petitions shall 
be bound and verified similarly as recall petitions. The Secre¬ 
tary of (State, the Auditor of Public Accounts, and the State 
Treasurer shall examine the nomination petition and if same 
is found sufficient, they shall issue to the person named in the 
nomination petition a certificate, and his name shall be placed on 
the recall ballot, as a candidate to succeed the officer sought to 
be recalled, and no Court in this State shall have jurisdiction 
to review their findings, or by injunction or otherwise interfere 
with them in the discharge of the duties imposed by this Act. 

Section 10. The recall ballot shall be prepared, printed and 
forwarded to the election officers in the territory affected, by the 
officer or officers whose duty it is, or may be hereafter to pre¬ 
pare, print and forward to the election officers, ballots to be used 








47 


at regular general elections. Such ballots shall contain the 
specific questions, ‘‘Shall (naming the officer and giving his 
official title) be recalled?” After the same shall be two squares, 
one containing the word “yes” and one containing the word 
“no”, and the voter shall stamp either “yes” or “no” as his 
preference may be, and no ballot shall be considered unless the 
voter has voted on the question of the recall. A line shall be 
drawn entirely across the ballot beneath the above question and 
below this line there shall be printed the names of the candi¬ 
dates arranged alphabetically, and after each name shall be 
printed two squares, in one of which shall be printed “First 
Choice” and in the other shall be printed “Second Choice.” 
There shall be printed below the names of the candidates direc¬ 
tions to voters, to the effect that the voter may vote for his first 
choice and for his second choice of the candidates. 

Section 11. The candidate who is the first choice of the great¬ 
er number of voters shall be declared to be elected, if the election 
has resulted in the recall of the officer sought to be recalled. 

Section 12. The Secretary of State shall by or before the 
first day February, 1915, prepare and have printed a supply 
of all blanks described, detailed, set out and contemplated by 
the foregoing provisions of this Act, and he shall furnish same 
to any reputable citizens making application therefor. 

Section 13. Ten days before any recall petition may be cir¬ 
culated, the officer whose recall is sought shall be notified of 
the intention to circulate such petition by mailing to him under 
registered (United States) mail, a copy of the petition which 
it is intended to circulate, which petition shall contain a brief 
statement of the reasons urged why the officer ought to be re¬ 
called, or the officer may be notified by handing him a copy of 
such petition in person in the presence of two witnesses. 

Section 14. Not more than sixty days shall elapse between 
the earliest and latest verification of any sheet of any petition, 
and no sheet verified more than sixty days before the filing of 
the petition in the office of the Secretary of State shall be con¬ 
sidered. 


Ballots. 


Candidate elected. 


Blanks. 


Notification of pro¬ 
posed recall must 
be made. 


Time of verifica¬ 
tion. 




48 


Documents not to 
be mutilated. 


Failure to p e r - 
form duty. 


Purpose of act. 


Penalty. 


Repealing clause. 


Section 15. No persons shall destroy any sheet of a recall 
petition or nomination petition nor any volume of either, nor 
an entire petition, nor any certificate contemplated by this Act 
accompanying either, nor shall any person mutilate any of the 
documents described above, nor shall any name signed to any 
sheet of any recall or nomination petition be erased or strick- 
ened therefrom upon any pleas whatsoever, and no person, not a 
legal voter, shall circulate or sign any recall petition or nomi¬ 
nation petition, or verify same, or make any affidavit contem¬ 
plated or required by this Act. 

Section 16. Any official whose duty it is by law to do or per¬ 
form any act necessary or incident to the recall election pro¬ 
vided for in this Act, who by this Act is required to do and 
perform any duty or discharge any function incident or neces¬ 
sary to such recall election, who shall fail or refuse to do and t 
perform such act or discharge any duty or function, shall be | 
guilty of an offense, and shall be punished as provided for in j 
Section 18 of this Act. 

Section 17. It is hereby declared to be the purpose of this 
Act and of the amendment to the Constitution of the State of 
Louisiana relative to the recall of certain officers elected by the 
people, to furnish a quick and sure means by which an officer 
elected by the people may be removed by the people without in¬ 
tervention of the Courts and without delays, and a substantial 
compliance with the terms, conditions, and requirements of this 
Act shall be sufficient, so that the spirit and intention of the 
Act be observed rather than the letter. 

Section 18. Any person who shall be guilty of any of the 
offenses denounced by this Act, and who shall be guilty of vio¬ 
lating any of the terms of same, shall upon conviction be pun¬ 
ished by a fine of not less than One Hundred Dollars and not 
more than Two Thousand Dollars or by imprisonment in the 
State Penitentiary for not less than one year, and not more than 
three years; either fine or imprisonment or both may be in¬ 
dicted within the discretion of the Court. 

Section 19. All laws and parts of laws in conflict or incon¬ 
sistent with the terms and provisions of this Act are hereby 
repealed. 





49 


I 

Section 20. Be it f urther enacted, etc., That this Act shall Amendment must 
not go into effect unless and until the proposed amendment to submitted. 

Article 22;5 of the Constitution of this State has been adopted, 
which said amendment is to be submitted to the people of this 
State at the Congressional to be hoi den therein on the First 
Tm.'sda/ after the First Monday in November, 1914. 

Approved: July 9, 1914. 


REGISTRATION LAW 

ACT NO. 98 OF 1908. 

(As Amended.) 

AN ACT 

Relative to a new registration of voters throughout the State; 
to regulate the manner and mode of registering voters; 
to provide for the appointment of special canvassers and 
to provide penalties for the violations of the provisions 
of this Act; to provide for the appointment or selections 
of registrars of voters throughout the State; defining 
their duties and powers and fixing their compensation. 

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State Gov^ernor to ap- 
of Louisiana, That the Governor, by and with the advice and voters^^Parfsh^ of 
consent of the Senate, shall appoint a Registrar of Voters for the Orleans; his salary. 
Parish of Orleans; that the said Registrar of Voters so appointed 
and confirmed shall hold his office for the term of four years 
beginning on the first day of January, 1909, and shall be re¬ 
movable by the Governor for cause. That the said Registrar of 
Voters for the Parish of Orleans shall receive a salary of thirty- 
six hundred ($3,600) dollars per annum, payable monthly on his 
own warrant out of any funds in the general fund of the State 
Treasury not otherwise appropriated. 

The said Registrar of Voters for the Parish of Orleans shall chief clerk, 
be empowered to appoint one chief clerk at a salary not to exceed 
fifteen hundred dollars per annum, and one assistant clerk at 
a salary not to exceed twelve hundred ($1,200.00) dollars per 
annum payable monthly on the warrant of said Registrar, out 
of any money in the general fund in the State Treasury not 




50 


otherwise appropriated and said clerks shall discharge sue’ 
duties as may be assigned to them by the Registrar of Voters: 
and in the absence, sickness or disability of the Registrar, the 
Qualification clerk shall act for him. The Registrar of Voters and hii 

ciel'ks^^^ clerks appointed under the provisions of this Act shall be bom 

fide voters of the parish and shall not be eligible to any elective 
office. State, parochial or municipal, during their term of offici 
and for three months after the expiration thereof, or after theij 
resignation, if they should resign. 

Section 2. Be it further enacted, etc.. That the Registrar oi 

New registration, ’ ' ® , 

.January, 1909 , and Voters ill the Parish of Orleans shall make a new and complet< 

every four years ^ 

thereafter. registration of the qualified voters of said parish every four years 

commencing on the second day of January 1909. He shall keep 
his office open all the year from nine o’clock in the forenoon until 
four o’clock in the afternoon, Sundays and legal holidays ex¬ 
cepted, and during the sixty days preceding the time for closing 
the registration before an election. He shall keep his office opeEj 
from eight o’clock a. m. until two o’clock p. m. and from fouj 
o’clock p. m. until seven o’clock p. m. or later and he shall dost 
his office thirty days before any election. He shall on the fira 
day of May 1915, and each year thereafter open sub-offices ia 
each ward of the parish for the purpose of registering the voters 
of such ward; said sub-offices to be kept open for thirty days 
from eight o’clock a. m. until two o’clock p. m. and from four 
o’clock p. m. until seven o’clock p. m. daily, Sundays and holH 
days excepted. Said sub-offices shall be centrally located, and 
the City of New Orleans shall pay for the rental of same. 


Clerks and assist- Registrar of Voters shall be empowered to employ such 

ants; compensation, clerks in addition to the chief clerk and assistant clerk, provided 
for in Section 1 of this Act, as may be necessary to conduct his: 
office, and said clerks shall be entitled to compensation at not' 
more than three ($3.00) dollars per day for the days actually 
employed, payable semimonthly on presenting their accounts, 
sworn to by themselves and approved by the Registrar of Voters 
to the State Auditor; and the warrants drawn by the Auditor 
for their compensation aforesaid, shall be paid out of any moneys 
in the State Treasury not otherwise appropriated; provided the 
amount so expended for the compensation of said additional 
clerks shall not exceed twelve thousand ($12,000.00) dollars in 
any one year. (As amended and re-enacted by Act 242 of 1914.) 








51 


Section 3. Be it further enacted, etc., That the books of regis- how registration 

book 
made. 


tration in the Parish of Orleans shall consist of and be known bv 


the following names: One precinct register consecutively num¬ 
bered to correspond with the precinct stub-book for each pre¬ 
cinct, one certificate stub-book for each precinct, one duplicate 
certificate stub-book for each precinct and one permanent regis¬ 
ter containing the names of persons registered under Section 5 
of Art. 197 of the Constitution of 1898. 

Section 4. Be it further enacted, etc.. That the precinct regis- p^rty affiliation 
ter shall show and contain the date of registration, number of 1^^®^ 

® ’ time of registering. 

certificate of registration, name of voter, residence, age, color, 
occupation, where born, name of householder, time of residence 
in the State, parish, ward and precinct, oath of registration, 
party affiliation and remarks. The applicant for registration 
shall sign the oath of registration as herein provided. 

Section 5. Be it further enacted, etc.. That the precinct certifi- ^ . 

’ ^ ^ Certificates of reg- 

cate stub-book in the Parish of Orleans shall contain certificates i s t r a t i o n ; how- 

made. 

of registration, which shall be numbered, the name of the appli¬ 
cant for registration shall be written on the stub thereof by the 
clerk or Registrar of Voters; the certificate of registration shall 
have printed thereon the number of the certificate to correspond 
with the stub. The number of the ward and precinct shall also 
be printed on the certificate of registration, which the applicant 
will sign, and if unable to sign will affix his mark and the clerk 
or Registrar of Voters issuing said certificate shall affix hi" sig¬ 
nature to the same. 


Section 6. Be it further enacted, etc.. That duplicate certifi- Duplicate regis- 
•cates of registration shall be issued to persons whose original may be had my 
eertificates have been lost or destroyed, provided the name of the ^ 

person applying for such duplicate precinct certificate is found 
on the register, and same has not been cancelled for any cause, 
after he shall have subscribed to the following oath: ‘‘I do 
solemnly swear or affirm that T have been duly registered and 
my original certificate of registration has been lost or destroyed, 
so help me God.” 

Said oath shall be printed on the back of said duplicate certifi¬ 
cate of registration. The duplicate shall bear the same number 
as the original, and in other respects shall be the same, except 


52 


that they shall be printed on paper of different color; the word 
“Duplicate” shall be printed thereon; the clerk or Registrar 
of Voters issuing same shall mark the letter “D” in red ink to 
the left of the original number on the precinct register. He 
shall also mark the letter “D” on the original stub in red ink. 

List of criminals, Section 7. Be it further enacted, etc., That it shall be the 
d^Shs Sr- Criminal sheriff of the Parish of Orleans to furnish 

Voters.°^the Registrar of Voters on or before the fifth day of each month a 
list under oath, of the name, age and residence of all male per¬ 
sons who have been committed to prison during the preceding 
month. It shall be the duty of the keeper of the insane asylum to 
do the same in regard to all persons committed to said asylum. 
It shall be the duty of the Board of Health to deliver on or be¬ 
fore the fifth day of each month, to the Registrar of Voters, the 
list of the names, age and residence of all males over twenty-one 
years of age who have died in the Parish of Orleans during the 
period of the preceding month ; and in the event of any such 
criminal sheriff, president of the Board of Health or keepers of 
any insane asylum failing or neglecting to perform the duties re¬ 
quired under this Section, he or they shall be liable to a fine of 
twenty-five dollars for each omission or failure to comply with 
the provisions of this Section, to be recovered before any court of 
competent jurisdiction, said fine shall accrue to the Charity 
Hospital in said parish; and it shall be the duty of said Registrar 
of Voters to prosecute such officers as aforesaid so offending. 
The Registrar of Voters shall cancel and erase from the books 
the names of all such persons so reported as may have been 
registered, and said Registrar shall also keep a book or books for 
reference of all the reports so made to him under the provisions 
of this Section, and all erasures by him made and based upon 
the aforesaid reports, and for any violation of this Section by the 
Registrar of Voters he shall upon conviction, be fined one thou¬ 
sand dollars for the benefit, of the Charity Hospital. 

Duty of Registrar Section 8. Be it further enacted, etc.. That it shall be the 
fraulauientTS'ter^s^^^y Registrar of Voters for the Parish of Orleans during 

registration or at any other time, upon the affidavit of any 
two bona fide citizens who have been appointed by any political 
party or nominating body, or other political organization, and 





53 


who have been duly sworn to perform their duty as canvasaers, 
and who make affidavit before him (the Registrar) that certain 
names are fraudulently and illegally registered or have lost their 
right to vote in said precinct by reason of removal and should be 
erased, to cause wdthin two days thereafter said names to be pub^ 
lished for three consecutive days and erased in the same manner 
as designated in Section nine of this act; and in case of the failure 
of the Registrar to publish the same, the person making such 
affidavit may by motion returnable on the third day after ser\'' 
ice, excluding Sundays and legal holidays, appeal to the Civil 
District Court without cost and cause the said Registrar of 
Voters to show cause why said names should not be published as 
herein provided for and the same shall be tried in a summary 
way. After such names shall have been published and erased as 
herein provided, the persons whose names have been so erased 
shall not be permitted to vote except upon a new certificate of 
registration properly issued. 

Section 9. Be it further enacted, etc., That whenever the Names of fraud- 
Registrar of Voters has reason to believe that any name or names publish 
upon the books of registration are illegally or fraudulently placed 
thereon he shall publish such names in the official journal of, and 
at the expense of the Parish, and the Registrar of Voters shall 
cancel such names unless the parties whose names have been pub¬ 
lished, prove their identity or right to be registered by the affi¬ 
davit of two bona fide citizens who shall appear before the Reg¬ 
istrar of Voters or his clerks at the registration office and make 
said affidavit within five days after the publication, he will cause 
such name or names to be erased from the books of registration, 
noting the reasons therefor in the column of remarks in the pre¬ 
cinct register provided that any person who has attempted to 
prove his identity or right to be registered and has been erased 
shall have power to appeal to any court in said parish without 
cost, enjoining the Registrar to reinstate his name, and from the 
decision of the court either party shall have the right to appeal to 
the Supreme Court without bond or costs and said appeal shall 
be tried in a summary manner and by preference. (As amended 
and re-enacted by Act 242 of 1914.) 


54 


Where voter 
moves from one pre- 
cinc t to another his 
certificate m a y be 
changed. 


Manner of erasing 
names of voters who 
have moved from 
w a r d or who have 
died. 


Compulsory pro¬ 
cess against Regis¬ 
trar to force him to 
register voters. 


Compulsory pro¬ 
cess to compel Reg¬ 
is t r a r to erase 
names of illegal 
voters. 


Section 10. Be it further enacted, etc., That any voter mov¬ 
ing from one election precinct in a parish to another election 
precinct in the same parish, shall by making affidavit before the 
Registrar of Voters of such removal and residence in such new 
precinct for a period of at least six months, have the entry on 
the books of registration changed so as to correspond with his 
new residence and in the Parish of Orleans a new certificate 
of registration shall be issued to him accordingly. 

Section 11. Be it further enacted, etc.. That the Registrar of 
Voters for the Parish of Orleans shall cancel and erase from the 
books of registration in the following cases: When they know 
of the death or removal of the person registered: when the in¬ 
sanity of a person registered is legally established: upon the 
production of a certified copy of a judgment of a felony, in full 
force against the party registered, or upon reliable information 
of such conviction, upon the production of a certified copy of 
a judgment directing the cancellation to be made: upon the 
certificate of canvassers appointed by law and upon lawful 
grounds but not otherwise. 

Section 12. Be it further enacted, etc.. That should the Reg¬ 
istrar of Voters refuse to register, any qualified elector, as herein 
provided for, such elector may proceed by action in any court of 
competent jurisdiction to compel such certificate to be issued, or 
registration to be made. 

Such cause shall be tried in a summary manner and without 
cost, tvith right to appeal to the Supreme Court without bond 
and said appeal shall be tried in a summary manner and by 
preference. 

Section 13. Be it further enacted, etc.. That any person may 
proceed by action in any court to compel the Registrar of 
Voters to cancel any entry made illegally upon any book of reg¬ 
istration, or that ought to be cancelled by reason of the facts 
that have occurred subsequently to the time of such entry. But 
if the party whose name is sought to be cancelled be not made a 
party to the action, the court shall order him to be made a party 
defendant and the Registrar of Voters shall be notified to show 
cause why such erasure should not be made; said cause to be 
tried without delav or costs. 




55 


Office and maps 


Penalty. 


That costs may be recovered against the Registrar of Voters 
wrhen it is established on the trial that he knowingly and will- 
Eully violated a plain duty, but not otherwise. 

Section 14. Be it further enacted, etc., That the City Council 
Df the City of New Orleans shall provide an office, and such city CounSif^^ 
Eurniture as may be necessary to enable the Registrar of Voters 
for the Parish of Orleans and the City Engineer of the City of 
New Orleans shall be required to make out such precinct maps 
of said city as may be necessary under existing laws. 

Section 15. Be it further enacted, etc.. That the Registrar of 

C/3/HV3.SS of voters 

Voters for the Parish of Orleans shall, whenever he deems it nec- to be made by po- 
essary, issue instructions to the police of the City of New Or¬ 
leans to canvass the votes registered or to take a census of such 
as are entitled to registration; and any police officer or other per¬ 
son designated to make the census of registration who shall make 
a false return with a view of committing fraud, shall be deemed 
guilty of a felony and upon conviction thereof shall be fined not 
less than one thousand dollars or imprisoned for not less than 
one year. 

Registrars of Voters outside the City of New Orleans— 

(Note:—Sections 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 and 21, repealed by Act 
No. 212 of 1912, printed at page 64 hereof.) 

Section 22. Be it further enacted, etc., The Registrars of 

^ New registration 

Voters for each and everv parish throughout the State, the Par-country parishes in 

' . . ^ January, 1909; 

ish of Orleans excepted, shall beginning January 2, 1909, make places of registra- 

a new and complete registration of all the legal voters in their 

respective parishes; he shall at all times keep his office open 

daily, Sundays and legal holidays excepted, from eight o’clock 

a. m. until one o’clock p. m. and from two o’clock p. m. until 

six o’clock p. m. for the registration of all legal voters. He 

shall keep his office at the court house. In every year in which 

a general State election is held or a primar^^ election is held for 

State officers or representatives to the Congress of the United 

States he shall sixty days before the closing of the registration, 

establish his office, for at least one day, at or near each polling 

place; during the last two weeks of such period, if two weeks of 

the period remain after the holding of his office for one day 

at or near each polling place he shall keep his office at the court 

house. He shall during said sixty days publish at the expense 



56 


list of places parish, in the official journal thereof, if there be one, a 

registration to bepg^ of ^he places of registration and the length of time same 
published. ^ ® i 

shall remain open, provided that no person shall be permitted 
to register within thirty days of any general or primary election 
held in this State. 

Section 23. Be it further enacted, etc.. That the books of 
tion books for coun- registration of all the parishes of this State, the Parish of Or- 

try psiristiBs- • • 

leans excepted, shall consist of one precinct register, consecu¬ 
tively numbered from one to the end and the permanent regis¬ 
tration containing the names of persons registered under Section 
5 of Article 197 of the Constitution of 1898, and the laws carry¬ 
ing same into effect. That the precinct register shall show and 
contain: the date of registration, the name of the voter, his resi¬ 
dence, age, color, occupation, where born, name of householder, 
time of residence in the State, parish, ward and precinct, oath of 
registration, party affiliation and remarks. The applicant for 
registration shall sign the oath of registration as herein pro¬ 
vided. 

(Note:—^Section 24, repealed by Act No. 212 of 1912, printed 
at page 64 hereof.) 

Section 25. Be it further enacted, etc., That the Registrar of 

R e m o V als and 

deaths to be erased Voters of each parish shall within thirty days next preceding an 
election strike from the registration the names of all voters who 
may have died, left the precinct or from any cause become in¬ 
eligible as electors; provided that the name of no voter shall be 
stricken from the list of registration in any parish who has left 
said precinct within six months of the time for holding the elec¬ 
tion, so that the elector shall not lose his right to vote in one 1 
precinct before he has acquired the right to vote in another. The 
Registrar of Voters shall not place upon the poll list, which 
he is required by law to furnish for the use of the commissioners 
of election, any name which has been stricken from the registra¬ 
tion books as provided in this Act. 


Oath and bond of 
Registrars. 


General Provisions. 

Section 26. Be it further enacted, etc., That the Registrars 
of Voters throughout the State, shall within thirty days from 
the date of their respective commissions qualify by filing dupli¬ 
cate oaths of office with the Secretary of State and State Audi- 





57 


tor, and filing a bond with the State Auditor with good and 
solvent surety,, for the faithful performance of the duties re¬ 
quired of them by law, and for the payment of such damages 
as may be sustained by their failure to discharge their duties, 
and said bond, except in the Parish of Orleans, shall be in the 
sum of five hundred dollars in favor of the Grovernor and said 
sureties on said bond shall be examined and approved by the 
Judge of the District Court in the respective parishes through¬ 
out the State and in the Parish of Orleans said bond similarly 
conditioned shall be in the sum of five thousand dollars and shall 
be examined and approved by the Judges of the Civil District 
Court. 

(See Act No. 212 of 1912, printed on page 64 hereof.) 

Section 27. Be it further enacted, etc.. That the books, 
papers and records of the Registrars of Voters for the Parish 
of Orleans and the books, papers and records in the offices of 
each Registrar of Voters for each and every parish throughout 
the State shall at all times be open to inspection by the public 
and copies of the same may be procured, provided same does not 
interfere with the registration. 

Section 28. Be it further enacted, etc.. That in order that 
none but those affiliating with and being members of any polit¬ 
ical party shall participate in any primary election held by any 
political party, it shall be the duty of the Registrar of Voters of 
the various parishes throughout the State to provide an addi¬ 
tional space on the regular State registration books immediately 
following the last perpendicular ruled column in such books, 
which space shall be headed “Party Affiliation,” it shall be the 
duty of the Registrar of Voters to ask each applicant for reg¬ 
istration the question “What political party do you desire to 
affiliate with?” and the name of the political party so given by 
such person so applying to be registered shall be recorded in the 
column provided on the books of registration. The Registrar 
of Voters being hereby required to furnish proper blank forms 
for signature by the applicant for that purpose. 


Books to be open 
for public inspec¬ 
tion. 


Party affiliation 
to be recorded for 
voting in primary 
elections. 



58 


Not necessary for ^ase any person desiring to be registered does not desire 

general election. state his party affiliation, he shall not be required so to do, 
nor shall his failure so to do act as a bar to his registration for 
the purpose of voting in any election held under the provisions 
of the general election law; that the Registrars of Voters in 
each and every parish of this State shall three days before the 
date of any election held by any political party deliver to the 
several parish committees • throughout the State certified copies 
of all persons who have declared their party affiliation and reg¬ 
istered as members of said party as provided for in this sec¬ 
tion. The said certified copies herein provided for to be de¬ 
livered to the several parish committees shall be by them trans¬ 
mitted to the respective commissioners of election and shall be a 
list of the persons entitled to vote in any primary election held 
by said political party, provided that the persons appearing to 
be so registered shall possess all other necessary qualifications 
required of the electors by the Constitution of this State. 

Provided further that any person shall have the privilege of 
changing his party affiliation by applying to the Registrar of 
Voters requesting that same be done six months prior to any 
primary election held by any political party. 

Q u a 1 iflcation of Section 29. Be it further enacted, etc.. That the applicant 

quaiificatioru^^^^^^^ registration, throughout the State, shall be able to read and 

write and shall demonstrate his ability to do so when he applies 
for registration by making, under oath administered by the reg¬ 
istration officer or his clerks or deputy, written application 
therefor in the English language or in his mother tongue, which 
application shall contain the essential facts necessary to show 
that he is entitled to register and vote and shall be entirely writ¬ 
ten, dated and signed by him in the presence of the registration 
officer or his deputy, without assistance or suggestion from any 
person or any memorandum whatever, except the form of appli¬ 
cation hereinafter set forth; provided that if the applicant be 
unable to write his application in the English language he shall 
have the right if he so demands to write the same in his mother 
tongue from the dictation of an interpreter and if he, the ap¬ 
plicant, is unable to write his application by any reason of phys¬ 
ical disability, the same shall be written at his dictation by the 










59 


registration officer or his deputy, upon the applicant’s oath of 
such disability. The application above provided for shall be a 
cop 3 ^ of the following form with the proper names, dates and 
numbers substituted for the blanks appearing therein: 


Property qualifi- 


'‘I am a citizen of the State of Louisiana. My name is. 

I was born in the State (or country) of., parish (or 

county) of., on the.day of.in the year 

.I am now.year.months and. 

days of age. I have resided in this State since ., in this 

parish since . and in precinct No., of Ward No. 

.of this parish since., and am not disfranchised by 

anj^ provisions of the Constitution of this State.” 

Section 30. Be it further enacted, etc., That if the applicant 
be not able to read and write, as provided by Section twenty- cationt' 
nine of this Act, then he shall be entitled to register if he shall 
at the time he offers to register, be a bona fide owner of property 
assessed to him in this State at a valuation of not less than three 
hundred dollars on the assessment rolls of the current year in 
which he offers to register, or on the rolls of the preceding 
year, if the rolls of the current year shall not then have been 
completed and filed, and on which if said property be personal 
only, all taxes due shall have been paid. The applicant for reg¬ 
istration under this Section shall make oath before the registra¬ 
tion officer or his deputy or clerks, that he is a citizen of the 
United States and of this State and over the age of twenty-one 
years; that he possesses the qualifications prescribed by Article 
197, in Section 1 of the Constitution of this State for the year 
1898 and that he is the owner of property assessed to him at a 
valuation of not less than three hundred dollars, and that if such 
property be personal only, that all taxes due thereon have been 
paid, which payment shall be made to appear by the production 
of tax receipts or duplicates thereof. 

Section 31. Be it further enacted, etc.. That no male person section 5, 

who has availed himself of the provisions of Section 5 of Article 
197 of the Constitution of the State of Louisiana for the year 
1898, and the Acts of the General Assembly of the State of 
Louisiana carrying same into effect shall be denied the right to 
register in this State by reason of his failure to possess the edu- 

















60 


cational or property qualification prescribed in this Act, pro¬ 
vided that he possess the qualifications prescribed in Section I 
of Article 197 of the Constitution of the State of Louisiana for 
the year 1898. And provided further that all persons who shall 
have been duly re^stered under the provisions of Section 5 of 
Article 197 of the Constitution of 1898 and the laws of this State 
carrying same into effect shall be permitted to register hereafter 
at all subsequent registrations held under this act, upon their 
personal application and statement under oath that they are 
duly enrolled on the permanent register provided for in said 
section and upon the presentation of their certificate of registra¬ 
tion issued at the time of registering under said section, or a 
duplicate if lost. The registration officer is further required to 
verify said statement before registering said applicant by com¬ 
parison with said permanent roll or register, and if said voter is 
admitted to register, then the registration officer shall stamp 
on the reverse side of the permanent registration certificate the 
fact and date of such registration. In case of removal of any 
voter whose name shall have been placed on said permanent 
register to another parish, it shall be the duty of the registration 
officer or his deputy of the parish from which said voter re¬ 
moved, on the application of such voter, to furnish him with a 
certificate setting forth his name, age and nationality and the 
fact that he was a registered voter of such parish and that he has 
been duly enrolled, giving the date thereof, on the permanent 
register. On the signing of such certificate it shall be the duty 
of such registration officer or his deputy to note on said per¬ 
manent register the fact of the removal of such voter with the 
date of same. On presenting the certificate herein provided 
for to the registration officer or his deputy of the parish to 
which he has removed after having resided therein the time 
prescribed by law, it shall be the duty of said officer to enroll 
said voter on a supplemental list to said permanent register 
to be designated for that purpose. 

Section 32. Be it further enacted, etc.. That in all cases where, 
on trial of a person charged with any offense under the provi¬ 
sions of this Act, it appears in evidence the accused be registered 
without being qualified, as herein directed the court shall order 
such registration cancelled. 




61 


Section 33. Be it further enacted, etc., That any person who 
makes a false oath for the procuring of a certificate of reg- faise^oath. 
istration naturalization, or declaration of intention of becom¬ 
ing a citizen, or aids as a witness or otherwise, in obtaining the 
same fraudulently shall be guilty of a felony and upon convic- 
Bon thereof shall be fined not less than one thousand dollars and 
imprisoned not le^s than one year and not more than five years. 

Section 34. Be it further enacted, etc.. That the respective 
Registrars of Voters shall each have the power to administer to administer 
oaths to any person claiming the right to be registered or in 
regard to any matter or thing required to be done or inquired 
into by any of the said officers under this Act and any willful 
false swearing by any person in relation to any matter or thing 
concerning which he shall be interrogated by any of said of¬ 
ficers, shall be punished as perjury. 

Section 35. Be it further enacted, etc.. That if any person 

T r. j ^ ^ Penalty for fraud- 

snaii irauQulently alter, add to, deface or destroy any list of uientiy altering or 

*•' records 

voters made out, as directed by this Act, or any book of regis¬ 
tration, or tear down any poster or notice for any improper 
purpose, the person so offending shall be deemed guilty of a 
misdemeanor and upon conviction shall be fined and imprisoned 
at the discretion of the court. 

Section 36. Be it further enacted, etc.. That the Registrar of ^ . 

TT j. 1 n ^ T ^ Registrar of Vo- 

V oters snail not open his office, on anv boat or water craft and shall not open 
T . • , T TO 1 . ^is office in unusual 

during sixty days before the general election, shall not go to places. 

unusual places under the pretense of affording opportunity to 
voters to register, but shall remain at each appointed place dur¬ 
ing the full period named in his public notice and shall not at¬ 
tend places to register voters of which he has not given notice 
as required by this Act. Any Registrar violating the provisions 
of this section shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and 
upon conviction thereof shall be punished by fine and imprison¬ 
ment at the discretion of the court. 

Section 37. Be it further enacted, etc.. That every person of 
foreign birth, claiming a right to be registered, shall in addition persons of ^forei^ 
to the proof required by Sections 29, 30 and 31 of this Act, prove 
that he has been naturalized in conformity with the laws of the 
United States, and as evidence thereof, he shall produce if he 



62 


Penalty for reg¬ 
istering on f a 1 s € 
naturalization p a - 
pers. 


Duty of regis¬ 
trars to furnish reg¬ 
istration rolls to 
Supervisor of Elec¬ 
tion. 


Duty of Clerks of 
Court to furnish list 
of convictions to 
registrars. 


has never previously registered a certificate of naturalization 
under the seal of the court in which said naturalization took 
place, duly attested by the clerk of. said court, and shall prove by 
oath of two qualified electors of the election precinct that he is 
the person named in said certificate and the person to whom it 
was issued, and having never previously registered, if he has lost 
said certificate, having been naturalized, he shall make oath to 
that fact and produce a certified copy of his certificate of nat¬ 
uralization, which shall be furnished him by the clerk of court, 
in this State, free of cost, any clerk refusing to issue such certi¬ 
fied copy shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and upon 
conviction thereof shall be punished by a fine of not less than 
twenty-five dollars and not more than one hundred dollars at the 
discretion of the Court. 

Section 38. Be it further enacted, etc., That if any person 
mpon any false representation, or by the production of anj'' 
forged, false or spurious naturalization certificate, not duly is¬ 
sued in accordance with law, shall cause his name to be placed 
or shall attempt to have his name placed upon any book of reg¬ 
istration for election purposes, or upon any list of qualified 
electors, authorized or required to be made by any law of this 
State, or shall vote or attempt to vote at any election, without 
having been duly registered as provided for in this Act, shall 
upon conviction thereof, be adjudged guilty of a misdemeanor 
and sentenced to pay a fine of not less than five hundred dollars 
and be imprisoned for not less than six months in the parish jail, 
or both at the discretion of the court. 

Section 39. Be it further enacted, etc.. That it shall be the 
duty of the Registrar of Voters for the Parish of Orleans and 
the Registrar of Voters for each parish throughout the State to 
deliver to the Board of Supervisors of Election for each parish, 
at least, forty eight hours before the time fixed for the opening 
of the polls therein; the original precinct registration or poll 
books for each precinct or polling place, securely wrapped, 
marked and certified to by the Registrar of Voters. 

Section 40. Be it further enacted, etc.. That the clerk of the 
District Court of each parish of the State, and the clerk of the 
Criminal District Court of the City of New Orleans shall keep 
a book and record therein, immediately thereafter, a sentence or 




63 


conviction and the name and residence of such person who shall 
be convicted of any of the crimes punishable at hard labor or 
imprisonment in the penitentiary, and it shall be the duty of 
the Registrar of Voters to strike from the registration book the 
name of any person who shall have been convicted of any of 
the foregoing crimes. 

Section 41. Be it further enacted, etc.. That the books for 
poll lists and stationery necessary to carry on the registration 
and the necessary expenses for office rent incurred by the Reg¬ 
istrar of Voters on account of registration shall be paid by the 
parish in which the registration is carried on, provided that be¬ 
fore the same can be collected, the Registrar of Voters shall 
furnish the president of the Police Jury, or in the City of New 
Orleans, the Mayor of the City, a sworn statement of the ex¬ 
penses necessarily incurred. 

Section 42. Be it further enacted, etc., That it shall be the 
duty of the Registrar of Voters of each parish, at least ten days 
before the general election, to forward to the Secretary of State 
an accurate report of the number of voters in their respective 
parishes, the number of native and foreign born and the number 
of white and colored voters, respectively who write their names 
and the number who make their mark. It shall be the duty of 
the Secretary of State to furnish the Legislature a tabulated 
statement of said report, when called on so to do. 

Section 43. Be it further enacted, etc.. That the Registrar of 
Voters in the Parish of Orleans, shall be empowered to employ a 
porter for his office at a salary not to exceed fifty dollars per 
month. 

Section 44. Be it further enacted, etc.. That all laws or parts 
of laws inconsistent with any of the provisions of this Act, be 
and tV3 same are hereby repealed. 

A jv'proved: July 1st, 1908. 


Parish to provide 
books and station¬ 
ery for registration. 


Duty of registrar 
to furnish number 
of voters at least 10 
days before election. 



64 


CLERKS OF COURT, EX-OFFICIO REGISTRARS 
OF VOTERS. 

ACT NO. 212 OF 1912. 

AN ACT 

To provide for ex-officio Registrars of Voters and their clerks in 
the parishes of the State (the parish of Orleans excepted) ; 
to define their powers and duties, to provide for the pun¬ 
ishment for failure to perform same, or the violation of 
the laws relating thereto; to fix their compensation, and 
to repeal all laws or parts of laws in conflict with this act. 

Clerk of Court 'Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State 
of v^ers. Louisiana, That the Clerk of the District Court of the re¬ 

spective parishes of the State (the parish of Orleans excepted), 
shall he ex-officio Registrars of Voters, and shall discharge all 
the duties imposed by existing laws upon the Registrars of Voters 
and shall keep their offices open daily at the Court house. 

Duties. Section 2. Be it further enacted, etc.. That the ex-officio Reg 

istrar of Voters shall be entitled to receive a fee of ten cents for 
each name that he registers in his office, and he shall be entitled 
to employ one clerk for such time as he is required by existing 
laws to open his registration offices in places of the parish other 
than the Court house, and the Clerk thus employed, or the Reg¬ 
istrar himself, if he should perform the duty, shall receive as 
compensation for his services five dollars ($5.00) a day for the 
time actually employed, provided that not more than one day 
preceding each election shall be spent at any one polling place 
in the parish; provided further, that whenever under the law 
the ex-officio Registrar of Voters is required to make up and 
furnish, for either primary, general, or special election officers, a 
list of voters, he shall be entitled to a compensation of one cent 
for each name appearing upon such list. 

Campensation. Section 3. Be it further enacted, etc.. That the compensation 
fixed by this Act for ex-officio Registrar of Voters and for his 
Clerks shall be payable quarterly,—one-half out of the State 
Treasury, on the warrant of the ex-officio Registrar of Voters, 
with certified vouchers attached, and one-half by the police jury 
in the parish in which he exercises his functions. 





65 


Section 4. Be it further enacted, etc., That the entire re<^is- Registration rolls 
tration rolls, together with all applications for registration, affi- pansh rec- 

davits or statements filed* in connection therewith, together with 
all poll books or copies of the same, or other documentary mat¬ 
ters that may for any cause or for any reason find their way into 
the registration office or into the hands of the Registrar of Vot¬ 
ers, or his clerks, shall become a part of the public archives of 
the parish; and as such shall be preserved and cared for, and 
shall at all times during office hours be open and subject to public 
inspection. And the ex-officio Registrar of Voters shall be respon¬ 
sible for their care and preservation. 

The public shall be at liberty to copy any of the records of List to be fur- 
said office, and upon application duly made in writing, the ex- pifca^uon!^ ^ ° ^ 
officio Ree’mtrar shall at anv time furnish to any person applv- 
ing therefor a certified list of the registered voters of his parish, 
or any ward or polling precinct thereof, within a delay of not 
more than two days, for which list he shall be entitled to demand 
and receive from the applicant not more than one cent per 
name. 

Section 5. Be it further enacted, etc.. That the ex-officio Reg- „ 

Responsibility. 

istrar of Voters shall assume and he charged with full responsi¬ 
bility for the integrity and acts of the clerks selected and em¬ 
ployed by him, and in the event that either the ex-officio Reg¬ 
istrar or clerk be charged and convicted or falsifying or destroy¬ 
ing any of the records of his office, or falsely or illegally reg¬ 
istering, or refusing to register, any person, or failing to per¬ 
form any of the duties imposed upon him by law, he shall be 
subject to a fine not exceeding One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00). 
and imprisonment, with or without hard labor, not to exceed one 
year. 

Section 6. Be it further enacted, etc.. That Sections Sixteen Repealing clause. 
(16), Seventeen HT), Eighteen 08). Nineteen (19), Twenty 
(20), Twenty-one (21). Twenty-four ^24), and Twenty-six (26), 
except that part of said section which relates to the Registrar 
of Voters for the parhsh of Orleans, of Act 98 of 1908, approved 
July 1, 1908, and all other laws contrary to or in conflict with 
the provisions of this Act be, and the same are hereby repealed, 
and this Act shall go into effect on and after promulgation. 

Approved July 11th, 1912. 








INDEX 


Affidavits Page. Section 

To be made by challenger. 12 i-i 

To be made in case name is omitted from poll list... 13 35 

Attorney General— 

'Duty of in compiling the returns for Representatives 

in Congress. 10 26 

Auditor, State— 

Duty of, in default of Secretary of State. 9 24 

To pass upon objections to nominations. 21 55-56 

Duty under recall law. 39 

Bal lots— 

Preparation of. 29 74 

To be prepared by the Secretary of State. 24 65 

All to have official endorsement. 31 76 

P"ac simile of the signature of the Secretary of State 

. to be on all. 25 66 

Size of, color of ink, etc., to be uniform. 25 66 

Providing how, shall be printed.24-25 65-66 

Providing for form, quality, and how same must be 

folded before distribution.25-26 66-67 

Provisions, relative to clerical errors. 24 65 

Provisions, for duplicate ballots, in case of failure of 

delivery or destruction of original. 28 72 

Delivery of, to Board of Supervisors. 27 70 

Tally sheets and cards of instructions, to be fur¬ 
nished at the expense of the State. 1 1 

Regulating, how to arrange for distribution. 26 67 

Regulating the quantity to be furnished each voting 

place. 26 68 

Number that can be obtained by voter. 29 74 

Manner of placing in box, etc. 30 75 

To be secret, penalty for violation of. 31 77 

To be returned to Commission if not voted. 29 75 

Objections made to counting marked ballot. 34 80 

Objected to, to be placed in separate packages. 34 80 

Manner of counting. 33 SO 

No ballots shall be removed from ballot box while 

the polls are open. 11 28 

To be delivered to, and to be retained by the Clerk 

of Court.'. 9 

Canvass and count. 5 17 

Commissioner of election, shall be deemed guilty of a 

felony for giving information relative to, etc.,.. 6 18 

How prepared under recall law. 39 


































9 


Ballot Boxes— 

Regulations, relative to. 

And tickets to be sent to each voting precinct. 

Commissioners to make personal examination to see 

if empty at opening of polls. 

To remain in public view. 

To be delivered by the Commissioners to the Clerk 

of Court . .. 

Containing the ballots, poll lists and tally sheets, to 

be delivered to the Clerk of Court. 

Penalty for stealing, etc., while in transit. 

Barriers— 

To be erected. 

Barrooms— 

Within one mile of election booths, to be closed.... 

Blanks— 

For nominations, etc. 

To be furnished by the Secretary of State; form of 

■ same. 

Delivered by Board of Supervisors to election com¬ 
missioners . 

'State, provisions in case of inability to use. 

Election, furnished by Secretary of iState must be 
used in ascertaining the result. 

Boand of Supervisors— 

Horw constituted in Orleans parish; in all other par¬ 
ishes. 

Duties of in general elections. 

Duty in Orleans parish. 

Time of delivering election blanks to commissioners. 
Shall provid'^ each voting precinct with ballot boxes 

and tickets required by law. 

To provide commissioners with card of instructions, 
tally sheet, blank forms and one set of ballots, 

etc. 

To furnish each voting precinct with poll list. 

Tnstructions, relative to second set of ballots. 

Duty of in case of failure, or destruction of ballots, 
providing manner of substituting duplicate ballots 

To get a receipt from commissioners. 

Make public proclamation of the compiled returns. . . 


Page. 

Section. 

11 

29 

11 

28 

11 

28 

11 

28 

9 

22 

7 

21 

32 

79 

12 

31 

7 

20 

22 

59 

11 

30 

12 

33 

12 

32 

11 

30 


4 

11 

2 

3 

4 

12 

12 

33 

11 

28 


26 

71 

13 

35 

28 

72 

28 

72 

27 

71 

-8 

21 



























3 


Page. 

I^uty of in compiling returns . 7 _g 

Shall make separate statement for the returns of 

Governor and Lieutenant-Governor. 7 -g 

To retain a compiled statement of the returns. 7-8 

Any members intentionally making a false or incor¬ 
rect compiled statement, penalty for. 7-8 

Or shelves, voting in cities of more than 50,000 in¬ 
habitants, provisions regulating the construction, 


and furnishing of. 28 

Candidates— 

Manner of nominating. 18 

Other than those nominated by political parties.20-37 

Withdrawal of nominations for. 21 

Canvass— 

And count of ballots. 5 

Certificates— 

Of nomination. 18 

Of nomination, form of.20-37 


Of nomination to be filed with Secretary of State. . . .20-37 
Of nomination. (See objections to.) 

Challenge— 

. 12 


Challengers— 

Regulations relative to. 12 

City Election— 

Term defined . 18 

City Officers— 

Term defined . 18 

Clerks of Election— 


(See oath to be taken by commissioners and clerks.) 
Parish of Orleans. (See Election Officers.) 

In parishes other than Orleans. 4 

Clerk of Court— 

To receive ballot box containing the ballots, etc., and 


to retain for a period of six months, etc. 9 

To receive a compiled statement from the Board of 

of Supervisors . 7-8 

Ex-officio Registrar of Voters. 64 


Section. 

21 

21 

21 

21 

73 

48 

53 
57 

17 

49 
52 

54 

34 

34 

47 

47 

11 

23 

21 





















4 


Compilation— Section. 

And promulg'ation of returns by Secretary of State. , 9 24 

Of returns for Representatives in Congress. 10 26 

Commissions— 

To be issued by the Governor to officers elected. ... 10 25 

Congress— 

Representatives in . 2-3 5-6 

Constitutional Amendment— 

Provisions how ballot shall be printed for. 25 _ 65 

Manner of voting for. 31 75 

Prohibiting making false returns on. 38 

Counting the Ballots— 

Manner of, etc. 33 80 

Conveniences and Supplies— 

To be furnished polling booths. 11 30 

Commissioners of Election— 

CSee Challenges) . 12 34 

(See form of blanks). 11 30 

(See Instruction relative to posting cards of instruc¬ 
tions, etc.) . 27 71 


Commissioners of Election— 

(See Provisions in case of inability to use State 
blanks.) 

Parish of Orleans. (See Election officers.) 
Qualifications, apportioned and appointed, in parishes 


other than Parish of Orleans. 4 

Their authority. 5-7 

Their pay and duties.5-11-38 

Commissioners in charge of poll list and ballot boxes 

to be of different political parties. 14 

To receipt for package of ballots, etc., received from 

Board of Supervisors.. . 27 

Provisions in case second set of ballots are needed 

for voting . 28 

(See Affidavit to be made in case name of voter 
omitted from poll list.) 

(See penalty for obstructing voters, etc.) 


(See Instructions for manner of checking voters on 
poll list.) 

Duties of in compiling tally sheets, and disposition 

of the returns.7-8-38 


11 

15-16-20 

14-28 

36 

71 

72 


21 
























5 


Page. Section, 

Not to make statement of number of ballots, votes, 

etc., before the public declaration of the result... 6-38 18 

To personally transmit the returns to Board of Su¬ 
pervisors and Clerk of Court. 9 22 

Attempting to delay the count of the ballots guilty of 

a felony . 5 17 

Intentionally making a false canvass of the ballots or 

the returns, deemed guilty of a felony. 6-38 18 


(See Manner of elections in certain cases.) 

(See Oath to be taken by Commissioner and Clerk.) 

('See Voter who is physically unable, etc.) 

(See Penalty for willful destruction of election para¬ 
phernalia, etc.) 

(See Objections to counting marked ballots.) 

(See Counting of the ballots, manner, etc.) 

(See Preparation of ballots.) 

(See Voting, provisions regulating, etc.) 

To keep duplicate list of voters, provisions of the 

law applicable thereto. 7-8 21 

Delivery of Ballots— 

. 27 70 

Of election blanks to commissioners. 12 33 

Deputy Sheriff— 

Oath to be administered by, or by one of the commis¬ 


sioners of elections. 7-8 21 

Their pay . 5 14 

To accompany the transmission of returns to the 

Board of Supervisors and Clerk of Court. 9 22 

To have possession of the key of the ballot box. 11 28 

Directions for Voting— 


..25-26 66 

Designation— 

Of political parties in nominations.20-21 53-55 

Disorderly Persons— 

Permitted to vote. 

Duplicate List of Voters— 

To be kept by commissioners of election, provisions 
of law applicable thereto 


7-8 


21 
















6 


Duplicate Ballots— Section. 

Providing' for, in case of failure of delivery or de¬ 
struction of the original. 27 71 

Duty of Police Jury— 

In establishing election precincts. 14 38 

Election Days— 

To be legal holidays. 3 9 

Elections— 

General, to'be held. 2 2 

Supervisors. 2 3 

In towns and parishes. 12 3l 

Of officers, not otherwise provided by law. 2 3 

Officers, how appointed in Orleans. 4 12 

In parishes other than Orleans, how appointed. 4 11 

For Representatives in Congress, providing for. 2 5 

Persons having the largest vote to be deemed elect¬ 
ed, etc., tie vote, how decided. 3 7 

Providing for vacancies in the General Assembly... 2 4 

Shall be held in the precincts and polling places 

established . 14 37 

State, term defined. 18 47 

To fill vacancies occurring in office of Congress be¬ 
fore the next general election. 3 6 

To be completed in one day, time of opening and 

closing polls . 3 8 

Precincts, how established in parishes other than 

Orleans. 14 38 

Precincts, how established in Parish of Orleans.,.. 15 40 

Express Companies— 

Stealing of ballots while in transit of, penalty. 32 79 

Electors— 

Election of, for President and Vice President of the 

United States. 2 5 

Filing— 

Certificates of nominations, nomination paper, pro¬ 
visions for. 19 51 

Form— 

Of election blanks to be furnished by Secretary of 

State to Board of Supervisors. 11 30 

Of nomination certificates,... , 20 52 



























i 


General Election— 

To be held'. 

Governor— 


Page. Section. 
2 2 


To issue proclamation giving notice of general elec¬ 
tion . 2 

Duties of, in the event of a vacancy of Representa¬ 
tive to Congress before next general election_ 3 

Duties of in the event of vacancy in the General 

Assembly before the next general election. 2 

Duty of, in compiling the returns for Representa¬ 
tives in Congress. 10 

To issue commissions to offlcers elected except, etc. 10 
Information of Voters— 


3 

6 

26 

25 


Instruction for Voters— 


27 69 


.29-30-31(74-75-76-77 

Providing for the printing of cards. 27 69 

To be given persons offering to vote. 14 36 

Cards of, to be prepared and furnished. 1 1 

Cards of, to be posted at each polling place. 27 71 

Intoxicating Liquoi— 

Forbidden in polling booths. 7 20 

Key of Ballot Box— 

Deputy Sheriff to have possession of. 11 28 

List of Registered Voters— 

How made . 13 35 


Manner of— 

Counting ballots .33-34 

Electing commissioners in certain cases. 17 

Filling vacancies caused by withdrawal of candi¬ 
dates . 22 

Nominating candidates . 18 

Preserving order at polling places. 5 

Signing nomination papers.19-37 

Voting for constitutional amendments. 31 

Nomination— 

Papers.19-20 

Certificates . 18 

(See Promulgation by the Secretary of State.) 

Blanks for. 22 

Papers, manner of signing same. 19 

Papers to be filed with Secretary of State. 20 


80 

46 

58 

48 

16 

51 

75 


50-53 

49 

59 

51 

54 



























8 


Nomination Papers— Section. 

Provisions for reckoning the time for filing. ....... .23-37 62 

(See Designation political parties.) 

Others than those made by political parties. 20 53 

(See penalty for willfully defacing certificate of.) 

Providing the number of votes necessary to make, 

etc. 24 64 

Open to public inspection, when filed with Secretary 

of State. 23 60 

Papers (see objections to). 21 55 

When objected to, shall be passed upon by Secre¬ 
tary of State, Auditor and Treasurer. . 21 55 

Who can sign. 37 

('See Withdrawal of candidates.) 

Nomination Papers— 

(See Manner of filling vacancies caused by with¬ 
drawal of nominations). 21 57 

Notice of Election— 

To fill vacancies occurring in the General Assem¬ 
bly before the next general election, duties of 

the Governor . 2 4 

Of general election, duty of the Governor, duty of the 

'Board of Supervisors. 2 3 

Oath— 

To be administered by deputy sheriff, or by one of 

the commissioners of election. 8 21 

To be taken by commissioners and clerk of election 17 45 

Objections— 

To regularity of nomination papers and certificates 

of nomination . 21 55 

May be made to count, for marked ballots.33-34 80 

Official— 

Endorsement to be on all election tickets. 31 76 

Filling vacancy where term is more than one year. .38 

Officers, State— ^ 

Term defined . 18 47 

(iSee deputy sheriffs, watchers, election officers, po¬ 
lice officers.) 

Providing recall of. 39 

Whose election i-s not otherwise provided for, the 

time and place of election of. 2 3 

Filling vacancies, term more than a year. 38 






















9 


Orleans Election Precincts— 

Page. 

.*. 15 

Parish and Town Elections— 

. 1-12 

To fill vacancies where term is more than one year. 39 

Pay of Election Officers— 

. 5 

Penalty for— 

Registrar of Voters failing, neglecting, or refusing 


to perform duties imposed. 13 

Wilfully defacing certificates of nomination. 23 

Attempting to cast illegal vote. 16 

Attempting to vote in the name of another. 16 

False swearing under the provisions of this Act.... 17 

Violating secrecy of ballots. 31 

Wilfully destroying cards of instruction and election 

paraphernalia, etc. 32 

Having intoxicating liquors in polling booths. 7 

Obstructing, hindering or delaying voters. 16 

Violating this Act. 17 

Destroying or mutilating any election documents.. 6 

False canvass of vote. . .i. 6 

Any member of the Board of Supervisors, inten¬ 
tionally making a false or incorrect statement 

of the compiled returns. 8 

Secretary of. State or Auditor wilfully neglecting to 

compile the returns and publish the result. 9 

Stealing ballots w’hile in transit. 32 

Persons Disorderly— 

Permitted to vote before being committed to prison. 5 
Persons— 

Having the largest vote to be deemed elected; tie 

vote, how decided. 3 


Perjury— 

Or subornation of perjury. (See Penalty for false 
swearing under the provisions of this Act, etc.) 


Petitions for recall, manner of circulating. 39 

Polls— 

Time of opening and closing. 3 


Section. 

40 


1-31 


14 


35 

63 

42 

42 

43 

77 

78 


20 

41 

44 

19 

18 


21 

24 

79 


16 


7 





















10 


Police Jury- 

Duty of in establishing election precincts.14-15 

Police Officers— 

Shall ibe stationed at each polling place. 3 

Political Parties— 

Designation of in nominations.20-21 

Poll List— 


To be furnished by Board of Supervisors to Regis¬ 


trar of Voters. 13 

Polling Booths— 

(iSee Booths and shelves, etc.) 

Supplies and conveniences to be furnished. 12 

Polling Places— 

Regulations relative to. 12 

Precincts— 

Election (See Election precincts.) 

Preparation of Ballot— 


.29-30-31 

President and Vice President of the United States— 


Electors of . 2 

Printing— 

Of ballots, tally sheets. 11 

Of cards of instructions, providing for. 1 

Of ballots (see ballots, providing how shall be 

printed) .24-25-26 

Proclamation, Public— 


Of the result of, compiled, to be made by the Board 


of Supervisors... 8 

Promulgation— 

Of nominees by the Secretary of State. 23 

■Compilation of returns by Secretary of State. 9 

Provisions— 

In case of inability to use State blanks. 12 

Relative to clerical error in printing of ballots. 25 


Section. 

38-39 


10 


53-55 


35 


31 


31 


74-75 


5 


30 

1 

65-66 


^ 21 


61 

24 


32 

65 



















n 

Railroad Company— 

Page. Section. 

Penalty for stealing ballots in transit. 32 79 

Recall of certain officers. 39 

Registrar of Voters— 

(See Penalty.) 

Who is, country parishes. 64 

I^uty of.13-37-49 35 

Registration Law— 

. 49 

Regulations— 

Relative to polling places......*. 12 31 

Relative to ballot boxes. 11 29 

Returns— 

To be transmitted by Commissioners of Election to 

Clerk of Court and 'Board of Supervisors. 9 22 

Board of Supervisors, shall make separate state¬ 
ment of, for Governor and Lieutenant-Governor.. 8 21 

To be forwarded by Commissioner to Secretary of 

State. 8 21 

To be promulgated and compiled by the Secretary of 

State . 9 24 

Of the Commissioners of Election, to be retained by 

the Secretary of State for at least six months.... 8 21 

Penalty for Secretary of State wilfully neglecting 

to compile the returns and publish the result... 9 24 

For Representative in Congress, how thej'’ shall be 

compiled. 10 26 

Representatives— 

To Congress, providing for election of. 2 5 

To General Assembly, when seat becomes vacant be¬ 
fore next general election, how provided for. 2 4 

Secrecy of Ballot— 

Penalty for violating. 31 77 

Secretary of State— 

Shall furnish blanks for nominations. 22 59 

To promulgate nominations. 23 61 

To keep nominations open to public inspection and 

preserve same for one year. 23 60 

To pass upon objections to nominations. 21 55-56 

To furnish a certified copy of nomination paper in 

case of clerical error in the printing of ballots... 25 65 





















12 


Shall furnish Board of Supervisors with blanks— 

form of same... 

Duty of, in delivery of ballots. 

Shall keep a record of the ballots sent. 

Pac-simile of signature to be on all ballots.25-26 

Providing- for the printing of cards of instruction, 

by the . 

To receive a compiled statement of the returns from 

the Board of Supervisors. 

Shall promulgate and compile the returns. 

Duty of, in compiling the returns for Representative 

in Congress . 

Shall retain the returns of the Commissioners of 

Election for at least six months. 

Duty under recall law. 

Sections— 

34, 35, 36 and 44 of this Act to be printed on cards 
of instructions. 

Senators to General Assembly— 

'When seat becomes vacant before next general elec¬ 
tion, how provided for. 

Senators of United States— 

Providing for the appointment of by Governor in 

case of vacancy pending election of.35-36 

Special Elections— 

State Elections— 

Term defined . 

State Officers— 

Term defined . 

Filling vacancies. 37 

Supervisors— 

(See Board of Supervisors.) 

Supplies and Conveniences— 

To be furnished polling booths. 

Tally Sheets— 

To be furnished at the expense of the State. 

And compiled statements. 

How made out. 

Time This'Act Goes Into Effect— 


Page. 

Section. 

11 

30 

27 

70 

27 

70 

25-26 

66 

► 

27 . 

69 

L 

8 

21 

9 

24 

10 

t 

26 

8 

21 

39 

• • 

27 

69 

2 

4 

35-36 

1-5 

1 

1 

18 

47 

18 

47 

CO 

• • 

12 

31 

1 

1 

7 

21 

5 

17 

























13 


Time— 

. . Page. Section. 

Provisions for reckoning- the, for filing nominations. 23 62 

Town and Parish Elections— 

. 1-12 1-31 

T ra ns miss ion— 

Of returns to Clerk of Court and Board of Super- 

. 9 22 

Of certificates of election of Representatives to Con¬ 
gress, to Clerk of the House of Representatives 
and Secretary of State. 10 27 

Treasurer, State— 

To pass upon objections to nominations. 21 55-56 

Duty under recall law.. 39 

Vacancies in General Assembly— 

Providing for. 2 4 

In office of Representatives to Congress, how pro¬ 
vided for . 3 0 

(See manner of filling- vacancies caused by with¬ 
drawal of nomination.) 

Violation— '"(I' ’ 

Of this Act. penalty for. 17 44 

Vote— ""“l 

(See Penalty for attempting to cast illegal.) 

Voter— 

Number of ballots that can be obtained by. 29 74 

(See Ballots.) 

Who is physically unable to mark his own ticket, 

provisions for assistance to. 31 76 

Registered list, how made. 13 35 

Providing for registration of. 49 

Votes— 

Canvass and count of. 5 I 7 

(See Penalty for obstructing, hindering, etc.'* 

Voting— 

Direction for .29-30-31(T4-7''»-'i’6-77 

Manner of voting for persons not on ticket. 31 74-75 

Booths or shelves for cities of more than 50,000 
inhabitants, provisions regulating the construc¬ 
tion and furnishing of.^. 28 73 

Lists, in duplicate, to be kept by the Election Com¬ 
missioners . 7 21 




















14 


Vv'atchers— 

At each polling precinct, manner of appointing, and 
duties of .. 

Withdrawal of Candidates— 

Provisions for . 


Page. 

4 

21 


Section. 

13 

57 









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